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THEOLOGICAL  SEWIW!?V 


JONAS  KING 


MISSIONARY 


TO 


SYRIA   AND   GREECE 


BY 
F.  E.  H.  H. 


M 


•f4 


■?5 


AMERICAN   TRACT  SOCIETY, 

150  NASSAU  STREET,  NEW  YORK. 


COPYRIGHT,  1879, 
BY  AMERICAN  TRACT  SOCIETY. 


CONTENTS. 


Introduction - page      7 

CHAPTER  I. 

EARLY  HOME-LIFE. 

Birth  and  Home  Training  at  Hawley,  Mass. — Early  Reading  of  the  Bible — 
Modern  Thought — Youthful  Ambition — Conviction  and  Conversion — 
Work  in  Revival — Letter  by  Rev.  W.  A.  Hallock,  D.  D. — Perseve- 
ring Efforts  to  obtain  an  Education — Experiences  as  Singing  Master 
and  Teacher -- - - 11 

CHAPTER  II. 

COLLEGE  AND  SEMINARY  LIFE. 

Williams  College — College  Revival — Doctrinal  Doubts  Overcome — Col- 
lege Honors — Andover  Theological  Seminary — Life  of  Faith — Class- 
mates   - - - 27 

CHAPTER  III. 

EARLY  MISSIONARY  EFFORTS  IN  THIS  COUNTRY. 

Work  in  Charlestown,  Boston,  and  Portsmouth — Licensed  to  preach  at 
Andover,  1819 — Labors  in  Brimfield  and  Holland,  Massachusetts, 
and  Charleston,  South  Carolina  — Letter  from  Rev,  Edward  Pal- 
mer    - og 

CHAPTER  IV. 

GOING  ABROAD  AND  LIFE  IN  PARIS. 

Studies  Continued — Way  opened  to  prosecute  them  in  Paris— Appoint- 
ment as  Professor  in  Amherst  College — Gospel  Meetings  held  in 
Europe— Serious  Illness — Letter  from  Pliny  Fisk,  calling  him  to 
Palestine — Acquaintance  with  Baron  de  Stael,  and  other  Men  of 
Note — Tracts  and  New  Testaments  distributed  at  Notre  Dame,  Mal- 
maison,  Versailles,  and  Mount  Calvary— Preaching  in  Paris — First 
Observance  there  of  the  Monthly  Concert 46 


4  CONTENTS, 

CHAPTER  V. 
MISSION  TO  PALESTINE  ACCEPTED. 
Reasons  for  accepting  Pliny  Fisk's  Invitation — Letters  to  the  A.  B.  C. 
F.  M.  and  to  his  Father  and  Mother — Means  for  Going  to  the  East 
provided — Formation  of  the  Paris  Missionary  Society,  and  Appoint- 
ment as  their  First  Missionary — Connection  with  Three  Societies — 
Farewell  Meetings  for  Prayer ■-- 65 

CHAPTER  VI. 
THROUGH  FRANCE  AND  THE  MEDITERRANEAN. 
Distribution  of  Tracts  and  Preaching  on  the  Journey  through  France — 
Nismes — Malta — Discussion  on  Missionary  Topics  with  Rev.  Pliny 
Fisk  and  others 77 

CHAPTER  VII. 
EGYPT. 
Labors  among  Jews  and  Roman-catholics — Preaching  on  the  Top  of  the 
Great  Pyramid  —  Cairo  —  Thebes — Palace  of   Pasha — Jewish   Wed- 
ding— Traces  of  Work - 93 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  DESERT  AND  JERUSALEM. 

Emir  Bushir — Kindness  of  Mr.  Salt — Jerusalem^Gethsemane — Scenes 
at  Church  of  Holy  Sepulchre — Deliverance  from  Arrest — Bethany — 
Letters  from  Jerusalem — Visits  to  Ramah — Jericho  and  the  Dead 
Sea 106 

CHAPTER  IX. 
STUDY  AND  WORK  IN  PALESTINE. 
Abou  Ghoosh — Zidon — Lady  Hester  Stanhope — Rev.  Lewis  Way — Study- 
ing Arabic  at  Deir  el  Kamar — Discussions  with  Roman-catholics  128 

CHAPTER  X. 
MOUNT  LEBANON  AND  THE  SAMARITANS. 
Convents — Druses — Mount  Lebanon — Arrival  of  Messrs.  Bird  and  Good- 
ell  —  Bey  rout  —  M  issionary  Tour — Tyre — Acre  —  Nazareth  —  Mount 
Tabor— Ebal  and  Gerizim — Samaritans — Second  Visit  to  Jerusalem — 
Arabic  Bible 143 

CHAPTER  XI. 
LIFE  IN  PALESTINE  CONTINUED. 
Jaffa — Discussion  with  Mussulmans  and  Catholics — The  Koran — Oriental 
Dress — Return  to  Beyrout  —  Damascus— Aleppo — Antioch — Arme- 
nian Creed — Tyre — Third  Visit  to  Jerusalem — Letters  written  from 
Calvary — Journey  towards  Home — Asaad  el  Shidiak,  the  Martyr  of 
Lebanon — Farewell  Letters 160 


CONTENTS.  5 

CHAPTER  XII. 

HOMEWARD  THROUGH  EUROPE. 
Asia   Minor — Death   of   Pliny   Fisk — Smyrna — Spain — Nismes — Paris — 
Duke   cle    Broglie — Louis  Philippe  —  Lafayette — Count   Verhuell — 
Countess  of  St.  Aulaire — Visits  in  England — Hannah  More 183 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

MISSIONARY  AGENCY  IN  AMERICA, 

Arrival  in  New  York— Visits  to  Friends — Agency  with  A.  B.  C.  F.  M. 
in  New  York  and  the  South — Dr.  Kirk — Washington — Letter  from 
Ladies'  Greek  Committee  of  New  York — Becomes  their  Missionary — 
Sails  from  New  York — Kind  Reception  at  Paris  -- 202 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
POROS— GREECE. 
Poros — Count   Capodistria — Greece   open  to   the   Gospel — Sufferings  of 
the  People — Egina — Smyrna — Syra  Marriage — Tenos 215 

CHAPTER  XV. 

ATHENS. 
Persecutions  of   Asaad  el    Shidiak   in    Syria  —  Drs.  Anderson   and   Eli 
Smith — Death  of  Dr.  King's  Father — Doctorate  Conferred 232 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
MISSIONARY  WORK  NEEDED  IN  THE  EAST. 
Indulgences — Infidelity — Errors  and   Superstitions — Worship  of  the  Vir- 
gin Mary — Relics — Bones  of  St.  Antipas — Image-worship — Letters  to 
Society  of  Inquiry,  Princeton 246 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
LIFE-WORK  AT  ATHENS. 
I.  Schools  and  Religious  Services— Bible  in  Schools— Notice  of  Students 
in  Gymnasiums  and  Seminaries — Testimony  from  Napoli  Newspaper. 
2.  Direct  Mission-Work— Reasoninc;  out  of  the  Fcriptures— Publish- 
ing of  Bible  with  Notes  from  the  Fathers  Proposed— Letters  to  sev- 
eral_  Societies  of  Inquirj' — Qualifications  needed  for  a  Missionary — 
Delight  in  Christian  Union— Letter  to  Dr.  Goodell— "Greece  as  a 
Missionary  Field."- 3.  Bible  and  Tract  Distribution.— 4.  Efforts  in 
the  Temperance  Cause. — 5.  Visits  to  Prison 259 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
LIFE-WORK  AT  ATHENS  CONTINUED. 
Home,    Hospitality,    Correspondence,    and    Personal    Religious   Experi- 
ence  —  279 


6  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

FRUITS   OF  LABOR. 
Yusuf  Aga — Various  Testimonies — Luigi  Bianchi — Dr.  Anderson's  View 
of  Dr.  King's  Missionary  Work 295 

CHAPTER  XX. 

PERSECUTIONS. 

Excommunications — Accusations  in  Newspapers  and  before  the  Courts — • 
"Defence  of  Jonas  King" — Conspiracies — Temporary  Exile — Power 
of  the  American  Flag  - - - 302 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

TOURS,  TRAVELS,  AND   EVANGELICAL  ALLIANCE. 

Corinth —  Smyrna  —  Thebes — Experiences  with  Robbers — Constantino- 
ple— Pesth — Maria  Dorothea,  Archduchess  of  Austria— Jewish  Con- 
verts— Vienna — Baron  de  Rothschild — Munich — Reiche  Kapelle  — 
Paris  —  Geneva — Zurich — Italy — Rome — Sicily — Malta — Evangelical 
Alliance  at  Berlin — King  of  Prussia — Berlin 318 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

LAST  VISIT  TO  AMERICA. 

Many  Changes  —  Warm  Welcomes  —  Dr.  W.  A.  Hallock— Hawley  and 

Plainfield,    Mass.  —  Old    Elm-tree  —  Chicago  —  Rochester  —  Clifton 

Springs  —  New   Haven  —  Meeting   with   Dr.  Goodell   at   Elizabeth, 

N.J. -  339 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 
RETURN  TO  GREECE— DEATH  IN  1869. 
Paris  Revisited  — Missionary  Reunion  — The  Past  and  Present  of  Pales- 
tine—Rev. Mr.  Tessup— Athens— Letter  to  Mrs.  Doremus,  Wilder, 
and  Perit— His  S'ickness,  and  Death— Dr.  King's  Manner  and  Char- 
acter, in  Letters  from  Mrs.  Kalopothakes— His  own  Review  of  his 
Missionary  Life 343 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 
CONCLUSION. 
I.  List  of  Texts  heading  Volumes  of  Journal.— 2.  List  of  Books  Written 
and  those  Revised. — 3.  Articles  from  Napoli  Newspapers  relative  to 
Dr.  King's  Work. — 4.  Letter  regarding  Confessions  of  Faith  for 
Greek  Church.— 5.  Letter  to  Professor  Hopkins  about  Williams  Col- 
lege Revival.— 6.  The  Only  Son 357 


INTRODUCTION. 


"All  glory  be  to  God,  the  High,  the  Mighty,  the  Ever- 
lasting, who  exists  mysteriously  and  incomprehensibly  as  the 
Father  and  the  Son  and  the  Holy  Ghost." 

Thus  begins  the  Journal  of  Jonas  King,  dated,  Paris,  Sep- 
tember I,  1822,  followed  by  a  copy  in  Greek,  Hebrew,  and 
English,  of  the  commission  under  which  he  served.  Matt. 
28 :  19.  This  Journal  embraces  twenty-four  volumes  of  closely- 
written  manuscript,  and  is  a  library  in  itself.  The  first  vol- 
ume contains  an  account  of  his  early  life,  written  at  the  re- 
quest of  his  friend,  S.  V.  S.  Wilder,  who,  in  view  of  Dr.  King's 
intended  mission  to  Palestine,  gave  him  the  book,  consecrating 
it  formally  "to  the  service  of  Christ." 

These  books  are  as  a  chain  of  exceeding  beauty,  of  which 
only  a  shining  link  here  and  there  can  be  lifted  to  the  view  of 
the  present  generation,  which  cannot  take  time  to  examine 
much  into  the  past,  so  earnest  is  it  in  the  present,  so  intent 
upon  the  future.  The  interest  in  biographies,  however,  is 
reviving  ;  they  meet  a  want  of  the  human  heart,  recognized  in 
the  many  personal  histories  given  us  in  the  Old  Testament  and 
the  New.     It  must  be  to  the  honor  of  our  Lord  that  at  the 


8  INTRODUCTION. 

present  day  some  record  should  be  made  of  those  typical  men 
v.'ho  were  used  by  him  in  the  early  days  of  missionary  effort. 

Foundation  work  does  not  appear  upon  the  surface.  Now 
that  the  Eastern  w^orld  is  found  honeycombed  with  truth,  we 
begin  to  appreciate  the  labors  in  those  Bible  lands  of  the 
Lible-men,  as  they  were  called — Parsons,  Fisk,  King,  Goodell, 
Eli  Smith,  Bird,  and  others.  Old  superstitions  there  are  crum- 
bling away.  Christ's  kingdom  is  becoming  established  as 
never  before.  Let  us  honor  the  pioneers  in  his  service,  who 
"  out  of  weakness  were  made  strong  "  through  faith. 

Delay  in  bringing  before  the  church  some  of  the  facts 
regarding  initial  missionary  work  in  Syria  and  Greece  may  be 
of  no  disadvantage.  Its  thorough  and  truly  evangelical  char- 
acter, as  time  passes  on  and  the  superstructure  rises  to  view, 
will  appear.  God  is  ever  true  to  his  promise.  It  could  not 
be  in  vain  that  about  half  a  century  ago  so  many  copies  of  the 
Bible  and  Testament  were  sown  in  that  part  of  the  world — 
those  of  one  j'ear  amounting  to  6,847  copies.  Prayers  also 
were  offered,  and  religious  conversation  held  with  old  and 
young ;  and  the  Lord  has  said,  "  My  word  'shall  not  return 
unto  me  void."  The  laborers  now  cultivating  those  fields,  and 
beginning  to  gather  in  the  harvest,  and  even  transient  Chris- 
tian travellers,  often  find  traces  here  and  there  of  the  footsteps 
of  those  who  sowed  the  precious  seed  long  years  ago,  and  who 
have  passed  on  to  be  for  ever  wdth  the  Lord,  and  are  now 
watching  with  him  the  great  ingathering  from  every  nation. 
Not  "the  least  among  these  his  brethren"  is  found,  no  doubt, 
the  honored  missionary,  a  succinct  account  of  whose  charac- 
ter and  labors  these  pages  are  intended  to  record. 


INTR  OD  UCTIOiV.  9 

Jonas  King — the  name  is  as  a  household  word  in  many 
Christian  homes  in  this  and  other  lands.  An  almost  romantic 
interest  is  connected  with  it.  Many  have  a  general  impres- 
sion, through  the  mists  of  long  years  ago,  of  the  course  of  his 
life,  starting  as  it  did  among  the  western  hills  of  Massachu- 
setts, where  he  received  the  rugged  New  England  training 
that  so  well  fitted  him  for  the  work  which  proved  to  be  in 
store  for  him.  After  unwearied  perseverance  in  obtaining  an 
education,  came  rapid  promotion  to  a  professorship  in  Am- 
herst College.  Then  followed  his  sojourn  in  Paris,  where 
more  than  fifty-six  years  ago  the  young  American  preacher, 
through  his  very  uncompromising  honesty  and  simplicity  of 
purpose,  conjoined  with  singular  courtliness  of  manner,  at- 
tracted attention  to  the  pure  doctrines  of  the  cross. 

Next  God,  by  unexpected  means,  led  him  up  to  Jerusalem, 
then  far  distant,  and  the  road  to  it  but  little  travelled.  Thence 
he  "  passed  into  Achaia  also,"  and  upon  Mars'  Hill,  the  very 
seat  of  the  god  of  war,  proclaimed  the  advent  of  the  Prince  of 
Peace.  The  apostle  Paul,  long  years  ago,  once  stood  on  these 
same  steps  of  the  Areopagus.  Some  modern  Plutarch,  with- 
out putting  the  two  speakers  on  a  par,  might  well  find  occa- 
sion for  a  parallel. 

Then  comes  a  time  of  work  and  of  persecution  in  Greece, 
during  which,  under  God,  the  triumphant  power  of  our  Amer- 
ican flag  was  shown  to  Europe  and  to  all  the  world. 

Several  of  his  later  years  Dr.  King  was  privileged  to  spend 
in  this  his  own  native  land.  Everywhere  was  he  greeted  with 
special  reverence.  Many  Christian  people,  in  meeting  him, 
felt,  as  one  minister  well  expressed  it,  "as  if  shaking  hands  with 


lo  INTRODUCTION. 

one  of  the  old  apostles,"  for  from  early  childhood  the  name 
Jonas  King  had  been  almost  as  familiar  to  him  as  those  to  be 
found  in  the  New  Testament. 

Dr.  King  passed  away  from  earth  in  Athens,  the  city  of  his 
adoption,  comforted  in  his  last  hours  by  the  ministrations  not 
only  of  members  of  his  family,  for  others  were  also  at  hand 
who  by  his  means  had  been  brought  out  into  pure  gospel 
light. 

Let  the  earnest  Christian  student  be  encouraged,  as  he 
notes  the  providences  of  God  as  manifested  all  through  the 
life  of  Jonas  King. 


JONAS    KING. 


CHAPTER   I. 

EARLY  HOME-LIFE. 

Birth  and  Home  Training  at  Hawley,  Mass. — Early  Reading  of  tlie 
Bible — Modern  Thought — Youthful  Ambition — Conviction  and 
Conversion — Work  in  Revival — Letter  by  Rev.  W.  A.  Halloclc, 
D.  D.— Persevering  Efforts  to  obtain  an  Education — Experien- 
ces as  Singing  Master  and  Teacher. 

Extracts  taken  consecutively  from  the  "  Journals  of 
Jonas  King,"  joined  by  a  thread  alone  here  and  there, 
can  best  give  graphic  detail  as  to  many  parts  of  his  life. 

"I  was  born  the  29th  of  July,  1792,  at  Hawley,  an 
obscure  town  on  the  mountains  of  Franklin  county, 
Massachusetts,  about  twenty-five  miles  from  North- 
ampton. 

"My  father  was  noted  for  extreme  sobriety  in  his 
manner  of  living,  rigid  adherence  to  the  truth,  even  in 
the  most  trivial  things  ;  perfect  uprightness  in  all  his 
dealings  with  others  ;  the  most  strict  observance  of  the 
Sabbath  and  its  duties,  love  for  the  Sacred  Scriptures, 
which  are  almost  the  only  book  he  has  read  for  thirty 
years  past,  and  which  are  his  meat  and  drink  day  and 
night ;  and  for  a  mind  contemplative  to  such  a  degree 


12  yONAS  KING. 

that  he  is  seldom  known  to  smile.  From  my  earliest 
recollection,  his  constant  theme  has  been  the  love  of 
Christ,  and  salvation  by  grace.  During  the  first  eighteen 
years  and  a  half  of  my  life,  which  I  passed  in  the  humble 
mansion  of  my  father,  I  can  scarcely  remember  a  single 
day  that  he  did  not  converse  with  me  seriously  morning 
and  evening  in  the  house  or  in  the  field,  and  sometimes 
by  my  bedside,  speaking  of  the  love  of  Christ,  the  glories 
of  heaven,  the  deceitfulness  of  the  world.  Every  object 
which  arrested  my  attention,  he  endeavored  to  connect 
with  something  spiritual.  The  command  to  parents  in 
the  sixth  chapter  of  Deuteronomy  he  almost  literally 
obeyed. 

"  Under  his  instruction,  I  found  myself,  at  the  age  of 
four  years,  able  to  read  with  considerable  fluency.  My 
father  then  told  me  that  if  I  would  read  all  the  Scriptures 
of  the  Old  and  New  Testament  before  I  should  be  six 
years  old,  he  would  make  me  some  little  present,  which 
to  my  great  joy  I  received,  having  performed  my  task 
within  the  time  specified.  From  the  age  of  six  to  sixteen, 
I  continued  to  read  through  the  Bible  once  a  year.  This 
I  did  because  he  desired  it,  and  also  because  it  was 
almost  the  only  book  in  his  library.  That  and  the 
Primer,  Watts'  Psalms  and  Hymns,  a  few  common  school- 
books,  such  as  Webster's  and  Perry's  Spelling-books  and 
Dictionaries,  the  American  Preceptor,  Pike's  Arithmetic, 
Alexander's  Grammar,  together  with  a  few  pamphlets, 
comprised  nearly  all  the  library  to  which  I  had  access 
the  first  seventeen  years  of  my  life. 

"  My  father's  paternal  inheritance  consisted  of  one 


.  EARL  Y  HOME-LIFE.  1 3 

hundred  acres.  There  he  spent  the  vigor  of  his  youtli, 
and  impaired  his  health  felling  giant  hemlocks,  over- 
grown pines,  and  sturdy  maples." 

Rev.  W.  A,  Hallock,  D.  D.,  long  an  honored  Secre- 
tary of  the  American  Tract  Society,  New  York,  and 
liimself  an  early  as  well  as  life-long  friend  of  Dr.  King, 
writes  as  follows  : 

"Nev/  York,  Nov.  22,  1869. 

"  You  have  asked  me  to  state  any  facts  of  the  early 
life  of  Rev.  Dr.  Jonas  King,  which,  should  I  pass  away, 
it  would  be  difficult  to  get ;  but  the  main  facts  are  given 
in  the  memoir  of  S.  V.  S.  Wilder,  the  sketch  of  Dr. 
King  by  IMrs.  Doremus,  and  elsewhere.  In  a  word,  there 
is  no  blot,  or  slur,  or  drawback  whatever  in  his  early 
life :  all  is  fair  and  bright  and  creditable,  as  to  morals, 
temperance,  intelligence,  fidelity  to  his  parents  and  sister, 
and  fulfilling  all  his  relations  in  the  school,  the  church, 
and  the  community. 

"  I  knew  him  intimately  from  childhood  ;  for  though 
born  in  Hawley,  his  father's  house  was  but  half  a  mile 
from  the  tovv'n  of  Plainfield  (Hampshire  Co.,  Mass.), 
where  my  father.  Rev.  Moses  Hallock,  was  sole  pastor 
for  more  than  forty  years,  including  the  first  forty  years 
of  Jonas'  life.  With  my  father  he  fitted  for  college,  and 
though  he  was  about  two  years  older  than  I,  it  was  my 
privilege  to  hear  his  first  lessons  in  the  Latin  Grammar. 
Plainfield  and  Hawley  were  settled  almost  wholly  by 
intelligent,  church-going  farmers,  all  very  much  on  a 
level  with  each  other,  all  sober  and  well-to-do  ;  all  the 
children  attending  the   common   school,  almost  all   the 


4  yONAS  KING. 

population  attending  church,  not  one  servant  in  either 
town,  nor  one  person  who  might  not  be  welcome  at  the 
table  of  any  other. 

"  Mr.  Jonas  King,  Sr.,  and  his  wife  were  worthy 
members  of  the  church,  having  but  two  children.  Dr. 
Jonas  and  his  sister  ;  and  were  above  the  average  in 
intelligence  and  worth.  Both  the  father  and  the  son  had 
active  investigating  minds  on  Christian  doctrines,  as  well 
as  in  this  world's  knowledge.  They  were  praying,  devout, 
consistent  Christians,  as  represented  in  my  tract,  *  The 
Only  Son,'  which  is  in  Mr.  Wilder's  Memoir. 

"  Mr.  King's  farm  was,  I  suppose,  about  one  hundred 
acres,  with  comfortable  plain  buildings,  and  a  large  sugar 
orchard,  from  which  I  know  we  often  had  very  white  and 
pure  maple-sugar.  A  spring  of  beautiful  mountain  water 
was  ever  running  to  accommodate  the  family  and  the 
passers-by. 

"  The  father  and  son  resembled  each  other  in  very 
many  respects.  Neither  of  them  was  robust,  yet  the  fa- 
ther was  able  to  cultivate  his  farm,  and  both  lived  to  an 
advanced  age. 

"  It  was  the  first  object  of  Dr.  King's  parents  to  help 
him  to  prepare  for  and  to  enter  the  ministry.  Father, 
mother,  and  son  united  in  striving  after  this  great  end  ; 
and  although  they  possessed  but  limited  means,  they  were 
blessed  in  the  attainment  of  it." 

The  Journal  goes  on  as  follows  . 

"  From  the  age  of  five  or  six  years  I  went  to  school 
all  the  time  that  the  district  school  lasted.  If  a  teacher 
had  studied  as  far  as  the  '  Square  Roots,'  or  '  Double  Po- 


EARL  Y  HOME-LIFE.  1 5 

sition,'  he  was  thought  to  have  a  wonderful  genius  for 
Mathematics.  I  attended  school  with  eagerness,  though 
sometimes  with  much  difficulty  through  heaps  piled  on 
heaps  of  snow.  .  .  .  Many  and  many  a  time  have  I  lain 
down  in  the  field  and  wept  till  the  fountain  of  tears  was 
exhausted,  in  thinking  of  what  I  considered  was  a  hard 
lot — to  have  a  father  sick,  no  brother  to  accompany  me, 
to  be  obliged  to  tug  alone,  and  perform  tasks  upon  the 
farm,  which  men  alone  are  capable  of  performing  with 
ease.  But  I  now  find  that  it  is  good  for  me  to  have 
borne  the  yoke  in  my  youth.  Had  my  father  been  pros- 
perous, and  had  I  enjoyed  perfect  health,  I  have  little  doubt 
but  that  I  would  have  been  ruined.  ...  At  a  very  early 
age,  I  found  within  my  bosom  those  germs  of  iniquity, 
which,  without  some  check,  would  have  grown  rank,  and 
brought  forth  a  fruitful  harvest  of  sin  and  death. 

"  I  wished  sometimes  my  father  was  an  unbeliever, 
that  I  might  sin  as  others  did  without  remorse.  I  some- 
times doubted  whether  there  was  anything  of  reality  in 
what  I  saw  and  read  and  heard.  I  well  recollect,  that 
about  the  time  that  I  finished  the  first  reading  of  the 
Bible,  I  stood  gazing  at  the  woods  and  mountains  around 
me,  and  at  the  clear  sky  which  seemed  to  touch  them,  till 
I  felt  lost  in  a  kind  of  amazement ;  and  said  to  myself, 
'  What  does  all  this  mean  .^  Is  it  not  possible  that  I  am 
dreaming .-'  I  lie  down  at  night,  sleep  and  fancy  that  I 
am  in  such  and  such  a  place,  and  that  I  see  and  hear 
such  and  such  things ;  and  in  the  morning  awake  and 
find  that  all  I  supposed  real  was  nothing.  Perhaps  I  and 
all  the  rest  of  the  world  are  in  another  kind  of  sleep,  from 


1 6  yONAS  KING. 

which  we  shall  by-and-by  awake  and  find  that  what 
we  now  think  is  real,  is  nothing  but  a  dream ;  that  there 
are  no  woods,  no  mountains,  no  world,  no  heavens.'  Such 
reflections  as  these,  I  consider  as  the  young  blossoms  of 
infidelity." 

What  would  some  of  the  disciples  of  "modern 
thought"  say  to  this  young  farmer-boy,  sounding  with 
untrained  imagination  into  the  dark  though  shallow 
depths  of  their  philosophy  .? 

Dr.  King  goes  on  to  write  of  his  own  unbounded 
ambition  :  "  My  heart  would  beat  for  hours  at  the  thought 
of  shining  as  a  general  or  as  a  man  of  science,  or  of  hav- 
ing my  name  uttered  with  respect  by  every  child,  like 
that  of  Washington  or  Franklin.  How  to  attain  this, 
I  did  not  know.  But  I  had  read  of  David  called  from 
the  sheep-cote  to  the  throne;  of  Moses,  and  of  many 
men  of  Greece  and  Rome,  and  in  our  own  country,  who 
had  gone  from  the  plough,  and  attained  the  most  distin- 
guished honors.  I  knew  that  'with  God  all  things  are 
possible.'  I  often  read  in  the  Proverbs  of  Solomon  ;  and 
there  I  found  written,  *  By  humility  and  the  fear  of  the 
Lord,  are  riches  and  honor  and  life.'  I  found  also  writ- 
ten, *  Seest  thou  a  man  diligent  in  business .''  he  shall 
stand  before  kings  ;  he  shall  not  stand  before  mean 
men.'  As  I  always  received  praise  from  my  parents  for 
diligence  and  faithfulness  in  everything  they  set  me  to 
do,  I  had  the  idea  that  one  day  I  might  be  called  to  the 
court  of  some  crowned  prince.  A  few  years  of  course 
informed  me  that  these  were  idle  fancies."  Yet  a  few 
years  more  proved  them  to  be  almost  prophetic. 


EARLY  HOME-LIFE.  17 

But  these  early  questionings  were  turned  into  a  more 
practical  channel  by  means  of  a  month's  dangerous  sick- 
ness, when  the  young  dreamer  was  about  ten  years  old. 
The  realities  of  eternity  then  pressed  upon  him,  and  great 
tenderness  of  conscience  remained  for  about  a  year; 
which  however  passed  away,  when,  through  fear  of  being 
thought  too  serious  or  religious,  he  was  persuaded  by 
some  young  people  much  older  than  himself  to  attend  a 
ball.  The  silent  monitor  in  his  heart  then  gradually 
ceased  to  perform  its  office. ' 

At  twelve  years  of  age,  his  attention  was  again  ar- 
rested by  the  unhappy  death  of  a  very  gay  young  lady 
with  whom  he  was  acquainted  ;  and  who  called  in  the 
hour  of  death  upon  her  parents  who  professed  religion, 
saying,  "'  Oh,  why  did  you  not  restrain  me  .-*  Now  it  is 
too  late.  I  am  dying,  and  must  be  miserable  for  ever  ;" 
but  the  boy  soon  found  rest  by  concluding  that  he  had 
lived  a  very  moral  life,  and  that  if  he  needed  regenera- 
tion in  order  to  be  saved,  God  would  certainly  renew  him. 

Yet  such  comfort  of  course  was  but  transient,  for 
of  his  feelings  soon  after  this,  Dr.  King  writes, 

"  I  regretted  that  my  situation  in  life  guarded  me  so 
effectually  from  the  snares  of  vice  ;  when  suddenly  the 
word  of  God  pierced  through  my  heart  like  a  two-edged 
sword,  and  made  me  feel  that  I  was  a  dying  sinner.  It 
was  a  sermon  from  this  text,  *  Quench  not  the  Spirit.' 
I  felt  that  I  had  done  it ;  that  God  had  called  upon  me 
time  after  time,  and  I  had  refused.  From  this  time  I 
was  engaged  for  about  three  months  in  searching  what 
I   should  do  to  inherit  eternal  life,  reading  the  Scrip- 

2* 


i8  JONAS  KING. 

tures,  praying,  performing  acts  of  mortification,  some- 
times refusing  to  eat  fruit  and  other  things  pleasant 
to  the  taste,  that  I  might  appear  humble  in  the  sight 
of  God  and  merit  something  in  his  sight.  I  also  bor- 
rowed '  Alleine's  Alarm,'  and  read  it  over  and  over 
again,  taking  care  always  to  conceal  it  if  any  one  came 
into  the  room  where  I  was,  and  to  appear  as  gay  as 
possible,  that  I  might  not  be  suspected  of  being  serious. 
For,  though  I  knew  it  would  afford  my  father  the  high- 
est pleasure  in  the  world  to  know  what  was  in  my  mind, 
I  could  not  for  shame  disclose  it  to  him.  At  length, 
however,  I  ventured  to  do  it,  but  instantly  regretted  hav- 
ing done  so,  and  thought  I  had  acted  like  a  fool,  and 
should  now  have  to  bear  the  stigma  of  being  a  religious 
boy,  and  give  up  all  the  youthful  amusements  to  which 
I  had  looked  forward  with  a  high  degree  of  pleasure. 

"  It  was  soon  noised  through  the  town,  that  I  was 
what  is  there  called,  under  '  concern  of  mind.'  Chris- 
tians rejoiced  ;  old  men  noticed  me,  asked  me  questions, 
gave  me  advice,  and  spoke  of  me  in  a  flattering  manner ; 
so  that  instead  of  losing  anything  in  point  of  reputation, 
I  found  that  I  was  gaining.  Pride  at  once  suggested  to 
me  that  this  might  be  one  means  of  rising  in  the  world. 
I  found  too,  that  twenty  or  thirty  other  young  people 
had,  unknown  to  me,  been  awakened,  and  were  soon  to 
make  a  public  profession  of  their  faith  in  Christ.  This 
strengthened  me,  and  I  began  to  speak  of  religion  with- 
out much  shame,  and  to  demand  of  others  what  I  should 
do  to  obtain  the  same  hopes  and  joys  which  they  pro- 
fessed.    All  replied  in  the  same  manner, '  Repent,  repent.' 


EARL  Y  HOME-LIFE.  1 9 

This  duty  I  was  aware  of ;  but  Jioiu  to  repent  was  the 
difficulty  I  wished  solved.  This  they  could  not  tell  me. 
It  seemed  to  me  the  height  of  folly  to  tell  a  man  to 
repent,  without  telling  him  Jiozu  to  repent. 

"At  length  I  became  vexed,  and  thought  I  was 
troubling  myself  about  things  in  which  there  was  no 
reality  ;  that  all  I  read  in  the  Bible  might  be  a  fiction  ; 
that  there  might  be  no  God,  no  state  of  retribution 
hereafter,  no  heaven,  no  hell ;  that  it  would  be  a  sorrow- 
ful thing  to  let  my  youth  pass  by  the  fountains  of  pleas- 
ure without  tasting  them,  and  at  last  find  that  anni- 
hilation closed  the  scene ;  that  if  there  were  a  God  and 
a  Saviour,  I  had  been  seeking  them  long  enough,  and 
without  success  ;  and  if  He  cast  me  eternally  from  his 
presence,  why  then  I  must  suffer,  I  could  not  help  it. 
These  feelings  I  endeavored  to  cherish,  having  heard 
others  say  that  they  had  experienced  much  hardness  of 
heart,  and  opposition  to  the  divine  character  a  little  pre- 
vious to  regeneration. 

"It  was  the  first  of  September,  1807.  Towards 
evening  I  walked  out  alone  for  the  purpose  of  medita- 
tion. The  day  was  fine;  the  sun  was  just  sinking 
behind  the  western  forests,  and  not  a  cloud  was  to  be 
seen  in  the  heavens.  Everything  was  calm  and  silent. 
Scarcely  the  voice  of  a  bird  broke  in  upon  the  stillness. 
For  awhile  I  walked  on  with  slow  and  pensive  step, 
musing  on  what  I  was,  and  what  I  might  be  hereafter  ; 
then  stopped,  looked  around,  and  asked  myself,  '  What 
holds  up  this  mighty,  ponderous  world  in  the  midst  of 
space.''     What  makes  the  sun  hold  on  his  way  in  such  a 


20  !/ONAS  KING. 

regular  manner  ?  and  what  sustains  him  ?'  That  mo- 
ment light  seemed  to  break  in  upon  my  soul,  and  \  felt 
that  there  is  a  God  of  almighty  power,  supporting,  mov- 
ing and  directing  all  things  with  infinite  wisdom.  I 
reflected  on  his  commands  and  they  seemed  just;  on  his 
mercy  through  a  Saviour,  and  it  appeared  lovely.  I  was 
astonished  that  I  never  before  had  the  same  view.  I 
thought  that  if  love  to  God,  and  love  to  Christ,  and  love 
towards  our  fellow-men,  were  all  that  was  required  of  us, 
nothing  could  be  more  reasonable  and  nothing  more  easy. 
My  heart,  which  for  several  days  had  been  hard  and 
unyielding,  now  seemed  to  soften,  and  with  eyes  uplifted 
towards  heaven  I  wept  and  prayed  for  mercy. 

"This  day  I  celebrated  for  several  years,  as  the  day 
of  my  spiritual  birth.  Whether  I  had  at  that  time  any 
genuine  piety,  I  cannot  say.  Sure  I  am  that  I  knew 
but  very  little  of  my  own  heart,  and  had  very  incorrect 
and  low  views  of  the  great  work  of  redemption.  I  had  in- 
deed read  the  Bible  through  ten  different  times,  was 
familiar  with  its  language,  but  had  little  acquaintance 
with  its  spirit.  I  am  fully  convinced  that  a  man  may 
read  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  just  as  he  reads  the  volume 
of  nature,  without  having  the  least  view  of  that  glory 
which  fills  heaven  and  earth,  and  which  is  inscribed  in 
letters  of  light  on  everything  around  us.  I  had  read  it, 
for  the  most  part,  as  a  matter  of  duty,  something  meri- 
torious in  the  sight  of  God,  or  as  containing  beautiful 
history,  interesting  parables,  and  sublime  descriptions." 

At  the  time  when  Jonas  King  joined  the  church  at 
Plainfield,  then  under  the  care  of  Rev.  Moses  Hallock, 


EARL  Y  HOME-LIFE,  2 1 

there  was  a  revival  there  of  much  power.  Jonas  was 
called  on  to  speak  one  evening,  and  he  gave  an  account 
of  how  he  had  been  led  to  Christ.  He  was  called  the 
next  morning,  long  before  day,  by  the  lady  of  the  house, 
begging  him  to  come  and  pray  for  her  and  her  children. 
She  and  her  husband  were  both  professors  of  religion. 
He  found  them  in  the  sittingroom,  singing  a  hymn,  with 
tears  streaming  down  their  cheeks.  A  few  neighbors 
were  called  in,  and  the  journal  goes  on  to  say,  "As  the 
morning  dawned  upon  us  from  the  east,  it  saw  fifteen  or 
twenty  of  us  bowing  before  Him  who  called  the  light 
out  of  darkness,  beseeching  him  to  cause  the  dayspring 
from  on  high  to  visit  our  souls." 

A  great  blessing  followed  this  early  prayer-meeting, 
felt  throughout  the  church  and  community,     -w 

"Though  much  occupied  with  religious  concerns,  F 
felt  an  increasing  desire  after  knowledge,  an  inextin- 
guishable thirst  for  study,  and  entertained  some  very 
feeble  distant  hope  that  I  might  at  a  future  period  of  my 
life  obtain  a  collegiate  education — how,  I  knew  not." 

Before  attending  a  regular  high-school,  Jonas  learned 
the  whole  of  the  English  grammar  by  heart,  studying  it 
while  hoeing  corn — and  in  his  seventy-fifth  year  could 
still  repeat  the  whole  long  list  of  prepositions. 

The  following  statement  comes  from  Rev.  W.  A, 
Hallock,  D.  D. 

"The  Hon.  William  H.  Maynard,  Senator  of  the 
state  of  New  York,  was  a  native  of  Conway,  Mass.,  and 
fitted  for  college  with  Rev.  Moses  Hallock. 

"In  an  address  before  the  Utica  Lyceum,  Mr.  May- 


2  2  yONAS  KING. 

nard  related  some  interesting  facts,  which  had  come  un- 
der his  own  observation,  illustrating  the  success  of  self- 
made  men. 

"In  December,  1807, Mr.  Maynard  was  teaching  school 
for  a  quarter  in  a  district  of  Plainfield  :  as  he  entered 
the  schoolhouse  one  cold,  blustering  morning,  he  observ- 
ed a  lad  that  he  had  not  seen  before,  sitting  on  one  of 
the  benches.  The  lad  soon  made  known  his  errand.  He 
was  fifteen  years  old,  he  said,  and  he  wanted  an  educa- 
tion. His  parents  lived  about  six  miles  distant,  and  he 
had  come  from  home  on  foot  that  morning,  to  see  if  Mr. 
Maynard  could  help  him  to  contrive  how  to  obtain  it. 

"  Mr.  Maynard  asked  him  if  his  parents  could  help 
him  to  get  an  education.  '  No,  sir.'  '  Have  you  any 
friends  to  assist  you  .-*'  '  No,  sir.'  '  Well,  how  do  you 
expect  to  get  an  education  .'''  '  I  do  n't  know,  sir,  but  I 
thought  I  would  come  and  see  you.' 

"  Mr.  Maynard  told  him  to  stay  that  day,  and  he 
would  see  what  could  be  done.  He  perceived  that  the 
boy  had  good  sense,  though  no  uncommon  brilliancy; 
and  he  was  peculiarly  struck  with  the  cool  and  resolute 
manner  in  which  he  undertook  to  conquer  difficulties 
which  would  have  intimidated  common  minds. 

"  In  the  course  of  the  day,  Mr.  Maynard  made  pro- 
vision for  having  him  boarded  through  the  winter  in  the 
family  with  himself,  the  lad  to  pay  for  his  board  by  his 
services  out  of  school. 

"  He  gave  himself  diligently  to  study,  in  which  he 
made  good  proficiency,  improving  every  opportunity  of 
reading  and  conversation  for  acquiring  knowledge,  and 


EAL  Y  HOME-LIFE.  23 

thus  spent  the  winter.     He  afterwards  fitted  for  college 
with  Rev.  Moses  Hallock. 

"  This  was  the  early  history  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Jonas 
King,  w^hose  exertions  in  the  cause  of  Oriental  learning, 
and  in  alleviating  the  miseries  of  Greece,  have  endeared 
him  alike  to  the  scholar  and  the  philanthropist,  and  shed 
a  bright  ray  of  glory  upon  his  native  country." 

At  the  age  of  seventeen  young  Jonas  was  pronounced 
by  the  minister  and  selectmen  fully  competent  to  take 
charge  of  a  small  school,  some  of  the  scholars  being 
older  than  himself.  In  this  school,  he  says,  "  I  endeav- 
ored to  be  faithful;  prayed  with  the  children  morning 
and  night,  and  often  labored  to  impress  on  their  minds 
the  importance  of  religion." 

The  money  obtained  in  this  way  was  given  to  his 
father,  who  was  just  then  building  a  new  house.  The 
next  winter  found  Jonas  teaching  school  at  an  increased 
salary,  at  Cummington,  Mass.,  a  town  near  Hawley,  and 
the  native  place  of  William  Cullen  Bryant.  Dr.  King's 
father  now  urged  him  to  leave  home,  saying,  "  I  want 
you  should  be  in  a  situation  to  be  more  useful  than  I 
have  been  in  the  cause  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  who 
died  for  us.  I  think  I  am  willing  to  let  you  go,  though 
it  seems  hard." 

"  Such  conversation  used  almost  to  break  my  heart, 
and  I  was  obliged  to  retire  and  give  way  to  my  feelings 
by  weeping,  and  in  prayer  to  God  for  direction. 

"At  length  I  signified  to  my  father  my  determination 
to  give  two  years,  after  I  should  be  of  age,  to  the  study 
of  Greek  and  Latin.     But  my  father  said  it  would  be 


2  4  yOiVAS  KING. 

better  for  me  to  go  then,  though,  if  I  stayed  with  him 
while  he  lived,  the  farm  would  be  my  recompense.  He 
could  not  advise  me,  only  commend  me  to  God. 

"  After  a  little  consideration,  I  decided  deliberately  ; 
packed  what  clothes  and  books  I  had,  and  set  off  in 
search  *  of  a  better  country,'  feeling  as  if  I  were  a  kind 
of  orphan  in  the  world ;  and  commending  myself  to 
Him  who,  I  had  been  taught  to  believe,  would  never  for- 
sake '  the  seed  of  the  righteous,'  nor  leave  those  who 
put  their  trust  in  him. 

"Sixteen  miles  distant  lived  a  gentleman  who  taught 
music,  and  with  whom  I  had,  the  year  before,  formed 
some  acquaintance.  With  him  I  made  arrangements  to 
study  Latin  and  music.  I  agreed  to  his  conditions,  and 
he,  to  make  me  a  complete  singing-master.  So  great 
was  my  eagerness  in  reading  Virgil,  that  with  about  fifty- 
eight  days'  study,  I  finished  the  twelve  books  of  the 
'^neid.'  These  I  recited  to  a  law3^er  named  Pepper, 
who  treated  me  with  much  affection,  and  taught  me 
many  things  which  were  afterwards  of  much  use  to  me." 

In  the  fall,  after  visiting  his  parents,  Jonas  found  his 
way  to  Cape  Cod,  at  a  town  called  Dennis,  working  his 
way  there  with  his  own  hands,  as  did  the  Apostle  Paul, 
and  much  to  the  benefit  of  his  health,  as  he  had  a  little 
before  raised  blood,  either  from  his  too  close  application 
to  study  or  from  too  much  effort  in  singing. 

Some  friend  in  Hawley  had  sent  word  to  Dennis  of 
Jonas'  coming.  The  first  question  asked  him  was,  "  Is 
your  name  King.?"  Next,  "What  can  you  eat.?"  An- 
swer, "Anything  but  cabbage-stumps,"  some  of   which 


EARL  Y  HOME-LIFE.  25 

were  just  at  hand  in  a  barren  garden.  "You  are  the 
very  man  we  want  to  live  among  us  and  teach  our  chil- 
dren," was  the  rejoinder ;  and  soon  Jonas  was  engaged 
for  six  months  at  $14  a  month,  and  board  ;  a  large  salary 
in  those  days  for  such  a  place ;  and  this  the  committee 
made  $14  50  when  the  time  of  payment  came. 

Here  Jonas  remained  a  year,  having  then  ^120  or 
$130  in  his  purse;  and  feeling  about  his  money  as  did 
Jacob  at  the  sight  of  Joseph's  wagons.  He  hesitated 
whether  to  go  on  teaching  for  another  year,  so  as  to  in- 
crease his  store,  or,  as  he  writes,  "  to  quit  all,  and  go  and 
study  with  some  minister  with  a  view  to  enter  college. 
I  was  in  my  twenty-first  year,  and  feared  if  I  delayed 
study  another  year,  I  might  be  induced  finally  to  relin- 
quish it.  This  I  feared  the  more,  as  I  found  a  growing 
attachment  to  one  of  my  pupils  in  music,  whose  voice  in 
the  treble  I  thought  might  prove  like  that  of  the  Syrens, 
a  means  of  turning  me  out  of  the  course  which  I  wished 
to  pursue.  I  at  once  decided,  went  on  board  a  packet 
for  Boston,  spent  a  week  in  viewing  the  wonders  of  the 
capital,  purchased  a  few  second-hand  Greek  books,  and 
set  out  for  Hawley.  Thence  I  went  to  Halifax,  Vt.,  and 
with  the  Rev.  T.  H.  Wood,  whose  name  I  shall  ever 
remember  with  affection,  commenced  the  Greek  Testa- 
ment, and  a  review  of  Virgil,  which  had  been  entirely 
laid  aside  aside  from  the  time  I  left  Chesterfield. 

"  My  eyes  were  weak,  and  I  could  study  only  by  day- 
light. I  used  to  rise  at  five  o'clock,  and  think  over  my 
conjugations  and  grammar-rules  till  daylight  appeared; 
then  walk  out  about  forty  rods  for  exercise,  and  then 


25  JONAS  KING. 

study  till  the  setting  of  the  sun.  Nothing  but  Greek 
was  in  my  head.  I  dreamed  of  it,  and,  as  my  roommate 
often  told  me,  talked  of  it  in  my  sleep. 

"  By  the  blessing  of  God  I  was  enabled,  by  what  was 
reckoned  about  six  weeks'  study,  to  finish  reading,  for  the 
first  time,  the  New  Testament  in  the  original.  The 
progress  I  made  was  owing  to  the  continual  high  excite- 
ment of  mind  which  I  had  in  view  of  going  to  college. 
My  health,  however,  became  impaired,  from  want  of  ex- 
ercise and  by  too  intense  application  to  study." 

But  this  did  not  discourage  the  young  student.  He 
was  still  determined  to  obtain  an  education,  if  possible. 


COLLEGE  AND  SEMINARY  LIFE.  27 


CHAPTER   II. 

COLLEGE  AND  SEMINARY  LIFE. 

Williams  College — College  Revival — Doctrinal  Doubts  Overcome — 
College  Honors — Andover  Theological  Seminary — Life  of 
Faith — Classmates. 

Being  persuaded  by  his  instructor  to  go  to  Williams 
College,  Dr.  King  writes  : 

"  I  set  off  on  foot  to  visit  the  seat  of  the  muses  among 
the  mountains  of  Berkshire,  to  see  if  I  could  be  admitted 
amons:  them.  I  arrived  in  the  midst  of  a  snowstorm 
weary  and  fatigued,  fearing  what  would  be  the  issue  of 
my  journey.  My  first  business  was  to  call  on  the  pres- 
ident, who  demanded  how  long  I  had  been  studying,  and 
how  much  Latin  and  Greek  I  had  read.  I  told  him 
frankly,  and  he  shook  his  head,  saying  he  could  give  me 
no  encouragement  of  entering  before  another  year.  This 
was  like  a  frost  on  the  flowers  of  spring,  and  my  opening 
hopes  began  to  wither.  If  I  waited  another  year,  my 
little  purse  would  be  empty,  and  then  I  would  be  obliged 
to  spend  another  year  keeping  school,  in  order  to  be 
able  to  enter ;  and  that  would  bring  me  to  such  an  age, 
that  I  would  view  the  idea  of  obtaining  a  liberal  educa- 
tion as  almost  hopeless. 

"  I  went  out  from  his  presence  with  a  heavy  heart, 
but  thought  I  would  use  one  effort  more  ;  that  was 
to  call  on  the  tutors  and  hear  what  they  would  say  to  me. 


28  yONAS  RING. 

I  found  two  of  them  together.  Both  shook  their  heads, 
and  one  replied  very  shortly,  that  it  was  out  of  all  ques- 
tion to  think  of  entering,  and  left  the  room.  I  then 
asked  the  other  if  I  could  not  be  admitted  for  a  while  on 
probation,  and  if  my  progress  was  not  such  that  they 
could  with  honor  admit  me,  be  sent  away  at  the  end  of 
the  term. 

"  Mr.  E.  (the  tutor)  looked  at  me  with  attention,  and 
then  demanded  if  I  had  been  studying  with  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Wood  of  Halifax.  I  replied  that  I  had.  '  If,'  said  he, 
*  you  are  the  same  young  man  of  whom  I  have  heard  him 
speak,  I  will  guarantee  that  you  will  be  admitted  before 
the  close  of  the  year.  Come  on,  and  I  will  speak  to  the 
president  in  your  behalf.'  This  was  like  the  dawn  of 
morning  to  a  night-worn  and  weather-beaten  sailor.  For, 
had  I  met  with  a  complete  repulse  at  this  time,  I  think 
my  spirits  would  have  sunk  under  it,  and  I  should  have 
relinquished  the  learned  halls  and  academic  groves,  and 
have  gone  back  to  the  little  cottage  and  woodlands  of  my 
father. 

"  I  returned  home  with  a  light  and  gladsome  heart, 
packed  up  my  books  and  clothes  which  I  had  left  there, 
and  having  received  the  prayers  and  benedictions  of  my 
parents,  set  out  a  second  time  for  Williamstown.  It  was, 
if  I  rightly  recollect,  some  time  in  March.  A  thaw  had 
taken  place,  the  snow  was  rapidly  melting,  the  roads  were 
filled  with  water  and  mud,  which  rendered  it  extremely 
unpleasant  and  wearisome  travelling.  It  began,  more- 
over, to  rain,  but  at  length  I  saw  the  lights  of  the  lamp 
of  science  beaming  faintly  on  me  through  the  interv^ening 


COLLEGE  AND  SEMINARY  LIFE.  29 

darkness,  a  fit  likeness  of  my  situation,  and  I  marched  on 
with  a  quicker  step  and  at  about  eleven  o'clock  reached 
an  inn  near  the  college.  The  next  day  I  began  to  reside 
within  its  walls,  and  was  permitted  to  recite  with  the 
members  of  the  Freshman  class,  who  entered  college 
some  time  before  I  had  read  a  single  word  of  the  Greek 
Testament,  or  Graeca  Minora.  '  Hie  labor,  hoc  opus 
fuit.'  I  was  obliged  to  study  night  and  day,  to  read  for 
the  first  time  long  lessons  which  they  were  reviewing. 
Two  hundred  lines  of  the  Georgics,  seven  or  eight  sec- 
tions of  Cicero's  Orations,  together  with  a  portion  of  the 
Graeca  Minora  v/as  an  Herculean  task  for  one  day.  It 
often  seemed  to  me  that  my  head  would  be  crazed,  or 
that  I  would  sink  into  the  earth  under  the  burden  laid 
upon  me." 

His  health  now  suffered  severely  in  consequence  of 
so  much  study,  living  too  as  he  did  in  a  very  economical 
way  ;  but  at  the  end  of  two  wearisome  months,  he  sus- 
tained a  public  examination,  and  was  admitted  to  the 
Freshman  class. 

At  the  close  of  the  Freshman  year,  having  taken  a  good 
stand  in  his  class,  he  made  application  in  vain  to  two 
distinguished  gentlemen  to  lend  him  two  or  three  hun- 
dred dollars  to  help  him  along.  "  One  of  them  gave  me 
a  dollar,  with  which  I  bought  a  hymn-book  to  remember 
him  by  ;    the  other  gave  a  few  kind  words  only." 

The  next  winter  teaching  school  again  during  part  of 
the  term  and  in  vacation,  brought  in  money  enough  to 
carry  him  on  till  spring ;  after  which  he  concluded  to 
make  one  more  effort  to  borrow  money  ;  but  after  a  toil- 

3* 


30  yONAS  KING. 

some  journey,  taking  with  him  a  letter  of  recommenda- 
tion, was  actually  "  repulsed  with  rage."  "  This  decided 
me  to  make  no  more  such  applications,  but  simply  lay 
my  case  before  my  Heavenly  Father,  who  would  not 
repulse  me  in  such  a  manner,  and  who  had  the  silver  and 
the  gold  in  his  hands,  and  the  cattle  on  a  thousand  hills. 
In  a  few  days,  I  unexpectedly  received  an  invitation  to 
take  charge  of  a  school  in  Catskill  for  six  months,  which 
I  accepted.  During  a  part  of  this  time  I  also  taught 
music  two  or  three  evenings  a  week.  By  this  means, 
I  gained  money  sufficient  to  defray  my  expenses  for  the 
ensuing  year.  And,  though  I  had  been  absent  from 
college  nine  months  of  my  Sophomore  year,  I  had  been 
enabled,  by  the  goodness  of  God,  to  pursue  my  studies  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  remain  in  my  class. 

"  My  college  companions  used  sometimes  to  rally  me 
a  little,  saying  that  I  was  a  singular  genius,  to  keep  up 
with  them,  and  yet  be  absent  continually  heaping  up 
wealth ;  that,  after  I  had  defrayed  my  college  expenses,  I 
should  unquestionably  have  money  to  put  out  at  interest. 

The  third  year  I  was  perfectly  at  my  ease.  My  mind 
was  in  a  state  of  perpetual  enchantment.  I  felt  as  if  I 
had  entered  upon  a  new  state  of  existence  ;  that  I  had 
come  out  of  darkness  into  marvellous  light.  What  I  had 
learned  before  seemed  only  as  a  pebble  on  the  shore,  by 
the  side  of  that  vast  ocean  of  Mathematics  which  now 
opened  to  my  view.  I  was  the  more  delighted  with  these 
studies,  because  they  were  considered  very  important ; 
and  I  began  to  entertain  some  hope  that,  by  a  strict 
attention  to  them,  I  might  secure  the  highest  appoint- 


COLLEGE  AND  SEMINARY  LIFE.  31 

ment  at  the  end  of  my  academical  career.  But,  before 
the  close  of  the  year,  my  attention  was  arrested  by  some- 
thing more  interesting  than  Philosophy,  Mathematics, 
and  college  honors.  Though  my  deportment  before  the 
world  was,  for  the  most  part,  strictly  according  to  my 
profession  as  a  disciple  of  Christ,  still  I  felt  a  want  of 
spirituality  in  my  devotions,  and  of  faithfulness  to  those 
around  me  who  had  no  hope  in  the  great  Redeemer  of 
sinners,  and  whom  I  should  one  day  meet  at  the  bar  of 
God.  These  feelings  were  increased  by  the  return  of 
my  roommate  (at  the  end  of  the  spring  vacation)  the 
Rev.  S.  Eaton,  whose  heart  now  seemed  enkindled  with, 
a  fresh  flame  from  heaven.  He  and  I  and  one  other  met 
together  one  evening,  talked  over  our  unfaithfulness, 
prayed  for  refreshings  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord, 
and  agreed  to  converse  seriously  each  day  with  some  one 
of  our  college  companions  ;  also  to  spend  an  hour  together 
each  evening  in  prayer. 

"The  effect  was  astonishing.  In  about  a  week  or 
fortnight,  almost  all  in  college  were  interested.  Some 
mocked,  some  wept,  and  some,  who  had  been  very  gay 
and  thoughtless,  were  seen,  in  great  anxiety,  inquiring 
what  they  should  do  to  be  saved." 

After  times  of  "  surprising  grace,"  the  enemy  of  souls 
often  takes  advantage  of  the  young  Christian,  who  may 
have  relaxed  in  watchfulness,  thinking  the  conflict  over. 
From  whatever  cause,  just  after  the  college  revival  Jonas 
King  passed  as  it  were  into  the  very  shadow  of  the 
"mount  of  privilege."  His  feet  were  lifted  away  from 
the  foundations  of   his  faith.     Doubts  as   to  doctrine, 


32  yONAS  KING. 

and  as  to  his  own  acceptance,  assailed  him.  But  "  the 
Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his,"  and  will  not  suffer 
them  to  be  tempted  above  that  they  are  able.  This  young 
soldier  of  the  cross  was  soon  brought  to  the  alternative, 
either  to  reject  the  Bible,  or  to  accept  all  its  teachings. 
He  looked  unto  God,  and  was  lightened.  The  victory 
was  given.  "  He  restoreth  my  soul "  became  the  song  of 
deliverance  of  him,  who  was  thus  taught  from  his  own 
experience  how  to  meet  the  bitter  and  acute  cavillings 
of  many  with  whom,  as  missionary  in  the  East,  he  was 
afterwards  brought  in  contact. 

At  the  end  of  the  Junior  year  an  English  oration  was 
assigned  him. 

Through  the  Senior  year  also,  Jonas  passed  success- 
fully, teaching  a  singing-school,  and  engaging  as  private 
instructor  in  a  family  residing  about  a  mile  and  a  half 
from  the  college.  At  the  close,  he  received  the  Philo- 
sophical oration. 

"  During  the  summer  vacation  I  took  a  school,  and  in 
September,  1816,  received  my  Bachelor's  degree;  and  a 
few  weeks  after  settled  all  my  college  bills.  Sophomore 
year  I  had  received  from  a  friend  twenty  dollars  ;  Junior 
year  about  the  same ;  Senior  year  sixty,  and  fifty  more 
from  the  American  Education  Society.  In  two  instances 
I  had  received  from  private  friends  about  one  dollar  and 
a  half,  or  two  dollars,  not  more.  This  was  all  the  aid  I 
ever  received,  from  the  time  I  left  my  father's  house  till 
I  left  college.  I  had  furnished  myself,  or  rather  God  had 
furnished  me,  with  books,  clothing,  board,  everything, 
except  a  suit  of  clothes  my  parents  gave  me  at  the  age 


COLLEGE  AND  SEMINARY  LIFE.  n 

of  twenty-one,  which  was  called  my  freedom-suit.  When 
I  had  studied  one  book,  I  sold  that  to  purchase  another, 
and  at  the  close  sold  all  I  had  left  to  bear  my  part  of  the 
expenses  at  Commencement. 

"  Thus  the  Lord  had  brought  me  along  in  a  strange 
way,  and  I  appeared  as  a  wonder  unto  many.  I  often 
passed  through  trials  and  hardships,  but  out  of  all  of 
them  the  Lord  delivered  me.  I  had  often  come  down  to 
the  brink  of  the  Red  Sea,  and  had  seen  there  no  possible 
way  of  passing  over.  But  the  moment  I  stepped  in  the 
waves  divided. 

"  I  was  many  a  time  hungry  and  thirsty  in  the  wil- 
derness, but  whenever  I  cried  unto  the  Lord  God  of  Is- 
rael, and  smote  the  rock  with  the  rod  of  faith,  the  waters 
gushed  out,  and  the  heavens  rained  down  manna.  Often  I 
have  lain  down  at  night  weeping,  and  joy  came  in  the 
morning.  It  was  not  owing  to  any  skill  or  merit  of  my 
own.  It  was  all  of  God,  and  all  the  glory  be  unto  his 
name.  One  thing  I  have  often  noticed,  and  which  I 
think  worth  remarking.  That  is,  when  I  have  been 
straitened  and  pressed  till  I  knew  not  which  way  to  turn, 
I  have  generally  been  brought  to  a  kind  of  resignation  to 
the  will  of  God  a  little  before  deliverance  came. 

"  By  the  advice  of  President  Moore,  and  with  the  aid 
of  some  charitable  people  in  Chatham,  New  York,  I 
made  my  way  to  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Andover, 
near  Boston.  Here  I  spent  three  years,  receiving  from 
a  charitable  fund  of  the  seminary  eighty  dollars  a  year  to 
defray  the  expense  of  board. 

"  I  read  but  few  commentaries,  few  polemical  works, 


34  yONAS  KING. 

and  generally  examined  subjects  by  the  Scriptures  them- 
selves. And  this  course  I  would  recommend  to  every 
young  student  in  theology.  It  is  far  better  to  drink  at 
the  pure  fountain,  than  of  the  streams  at  a  distance, 
which  bear  along  in  their  course  much  of  this  earth. 
The  latter  part  of  the  first  year  I  lost  much  time  by  a 
severe  illness,  the  effects  of  which  I  felt  for  two  years 
after.  The  third  year  I  devoted  to  writing  sermons,  and 
to  the  study  of  pulpit  oratory,  though  from  the  state  of 
my  health  and  the  state  of  my  heart,  I  labored  under 
almost  constant  depression  of  mind." 

Dr.  King's  journal,  while  at  Andover,  is  a  record  truly 
of  a  life  of  faith.  In  time  of  need  and  discouragement, 
he  still  hopes  in  God,  and  help  is  sure  to  follow.  He 
writes,  "January  20,  1818  :  Other  young  men,  when  they 
need  pecuniary  aid,  have  parents  and  friends  to  whom 
they  apply  for  assistance  ;  but  I  have  nowhere  to  go,  but 
directly  to  the  throne  of  grace,  and  there  I  find  all  my 
wants  richly  supplied.     Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul. 

"Oct.  31.  Visited  to-day  Dr.  Morse's,  in  Charles- 
town.  How  kind  is  my  Redeemer  in  granting  me  so 
many  friends." 

Then  mention  is  made  of  a  sermon  on  the  Resurrec- 
tion, by  Rev.  Sereno  Dwight,  and  of  dining  at  Dr.  Morse's. 
Again  of  books  bought  at  Andover. 

"  Purchased  of  Mr.  Stuart,  Eichhorn's  Einleitung.  It 
is  a  very  great  treasure.  What  reason  have  I  to  be 
thankful,  that  a  kind  Providence  supplies  me  with  books  ! 
Oh,  that  I  might  write  holiness  upon  them  all ;  that  I 
might  consecrate  them  to  the  cause  of  Christ !     Lord, 


COLLEGE  AND  SEAflNARY  LIFE.  35 

grant  that  I  may  desire  books  and  learning,  only  that  I 
may  make  myself  more  extensively  useful  to  the  church 
and  to  the  world. 

"  'T  is  astonishing  to  me,  that  my  Creator  bestows  on 
me  books  and  friends  and  innumerable  other  blessings, 
since  I  am  so  constantly  ungrateful  and  do  so  little  to 
promote  his  glory." 

He  speaks  of  ill-health,  of  pain  in  his  head,  which 
make  him  think  of  the  poor  pagans  with  no  comfort,  no 
Saviour,  when  they  are  called  to  suffer. 

Then  follow  confessions  of  ambition,  pride,  earthly- 
mindedness,  and  love  of  self, 

"Friday,  Dec.  11,  1818,  was  observed  by  the  Senior 
class,  Andover,  for  the  special  purpose  of  examining  the 
motives  which  were  leading  them  into  the  gospel  minis- 
try." And  Dr.  King  copies  from  Titus  and  Timothy 
direct  Bible  instruction  on  the  subject. 

Among  these  young  men,  thus  looking  to  God,  were 
Thurston  and  Bingham,  afterward  of  the  Sandwich  Isl- 
ands, Dr.  Wayland  of  Brown  University,  Byington  of 
the  Indian  Missions,  Torrey,  who  translated  Neander's 
Church  History,  Spalding  and  Winslow  of  Ceylon,  and 
others,  whose  useful  lives,  as  well  as  that  of  Jonas  King, 
have  certified  God's  promise  to  give  wisdom  to  those  who 
seek  it  in  sincerity  and  faith. 


36  yO^'AS  KING. 


CHAPTER   III. 

EARLY  MISSIONARY  EFFORTS  IN  THIS 
COUNTRY. 

Work  in  Charlestovvn,  Boston,  and  Portsmouth — Licensed  to  preach 
at  Andover,  1819 — Labors  in  Brimfield  and  Holland,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  Charleston,  South  Carolina.  Letter  from  Rev. 
Edward  Palmer. 

In  Dr.  King's  case  the  youth  was  emphatically  "  the 
father  of  the  man."  Even  before  finishing  his  course 
at  Andover  Theological  Seminary,  he  as  an  evangelist 
began  in  this  country  personal  efforts  that  not  only  very 
early  showed  the  aggressive  nature  of  his  piety,  but  in 
addition  proved  to  be  the  exact  training  needed  for  his 
subsequent  work  abroad. 

His  vacations  were  employed  as  follows  : 
"  The  first  vacation  I  spent  in  visiting  my  parents  ; 
the  second  with  Dr.  Jedediah  Morse  of  Charlestown, 
passing  six  weeks  in  his  family,  while  making  an  abridg- 
ment of  '  Walker  on  Elocution,'  and  selecting  some 
fine  specimens  of  eloquence  from  speeches  delivered  be- 
fore Bible  Societies,  Missionary  Societies,  etc.,  which, 
together  with  some  others,  were  afterwards  published 
under  the  title  of  '  The  Christian  Orator.'  Two  vaca- 
tions I  spent  in  Boston  as  a  missionary,  and  one  in  Ports- 
mouth. I  also  spent  two  weeks  of  term  time  in  Har- 
vard." 


EARLY  MISSIONARY  EFFORTS.  37 

Dr.  King  was  licensed  to  preach  by  an  association  of 
ministers  at  Andover,  July  6,  18 19. 

Upon  finally  leaving  Andover,  he  was  providentially 
led  almost  immediately  into  practical  labor.  His  own 
wish  was  to  study  if  possible  three  years  longer ;  but  he 
was  in  debt  for  books,  clothing,  etc.,  and  justice  demanded 
that  he  should  first  of  all  do  what  he  could  to  bring  in 
ready  money.  He  felt  unfit  for  the  ministry  in  point  of 
knowledge  and  piety.  He  was  blamed  by  many  for  wish- 
ing to  give  more  time  to  preparation,  they  accusing  him  of 
undue  ambition  to  be  a  great  man.  He  comforted  himself 
with  the  thought  that  God  knew  his  motives  and  feelings. 

"  At  present,"  he  writes,  "  whatever  might  be  my 
attainments  in  knowledge  and  piety,  I  must  in  some  way 
earn  two  hundred  dollars.  It  had  been  so  ordered  that 
I  was  in  the  ministry.  My  health  demanded  relaxation 
from  study.  In  view  of  the  whole,  I  concluded  to  go  for 
awhile  and  preach  faithfully  what  I  believed  to  be  truth, 
hoping  that  God  would  bless  his  own  word,  though  it 
should  be  delivered  by  one  whose  hopes  of  heaven  were 
very  faint  and  feeble. 

"  I  first  engaged  to  go  on  a  mission  six  weeks  to 
South  Brimfield  and  Holland,  under  the  direction  of  the 
Massachusetts  Domestic  Missionary  Society.  There  it 
seemed  as  if  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  came  upon  me,  as 
upon  Samson  of  old  when  among  the  Philistines.  My 
faith  seemed  to  be  strengthened,  and  my  hopes  revived, 
and  it  pleased  God  to  crown  my  labors  with  some  suc- 
cess. I  have  been  told  that  about  twenty  were  hopefully 
converted. 

Jonas  King.  A 


38  yONAS  KING. 

"  Having  been  recommended  by  the  Rev.  P.  Fiske,  I 
was  next  employed  for  six  months  by  the  Female  Do- 
mestic Missionary  Society  of  Charleston,  South  Carolina, 
to  labor  as  missionary  in  that  city,  where,  on  my  arrival, 
I  was  ordained  as  an  evangelist.  My  business  was  to 
preach  the  Gospel  to  seamen  and  the  poor,  and  to  bind 
up  the  broken-hearted ;  a  work  truly  noble,  and  to  per- 
form which  the  Son  of  God  left  the  abodes  of  glory. 
The  fishermen  of  Galilee,  the  publicans  and  sinners,  the 
sick  and  the  afflicted,  were  the  objects  of  his  particular 
attention. 

"  I  preached  often  for  Dr.  Palmer,  at  the  Circular 
church,  and  supplied  the  Second  Presbyterian  church  for 
six  weeks,  during  the  illness  of  Dr.  Flinn.  By  these 
means,  I  was  thrown  much  into  society  with  those  who 
were  considered  the  most  polished  people  in  the  Uni- 
ted States,  and  had  opportunity  for  improvement  in  many 
ways. 

"  Nathaniel  Russell,  Esq.,  the  father-in-law  of  Bishop 
Dehone,  and  Charles  O'Neale,  Esq.,  both  gave  me  a 
hospitable  welcome  to  their  houses  during  my  residence 
at  Charleston,  By  Mr.  and  Mrs.  O'Neale  I  was  received 
and  treated  as  a  son. 

"  Having  finished  my  labors  at  Charleston,  I  returned 
to  the  North,  preached  six  or  eight  weeks  at  Park  Street 
Church,  Boston,  during  an  absence  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Dwight,  visited  my  parents,  made  them  a  present  of  fifty 
dollars,  returned  to  Andover  and  resumed  my  studies." 

Among  Dr.  King's  early  papers  appear  "  Plans  for 
doing  good  in  Boston  and  other  places. 


EARL  V  MISSIONAR  Y  EFFORTS.  39 

"  Explore  every  nook  and  corner  of  the  town  to  find 
those  that  are  destitute  of  Bibles.  If  any  such  be  found, 
take  their  name  and  place  of  residence,  and  see  that 
they  have  Bibles  sent  them  immediately,  accompanied  by 
a  serious  address  on  the  importance  of  its  contents,  and 
the  necessity  of  immediately  becoming  acquainted  with 
its  doctrines.  In  these  visits,  take  some  religious  friend 
with  me. 

"  Meddle  not  with  politics.  '  Procul,  O  procul.' 
Avoid,  as  much  as  possible,  disputes  of  every  kind. 
They  are  seldom  of  any  use. 

"Speak  to  the  heart.  Use  the  artillery  of  Mount 
Sinai,  till  men  begin  to  feel  that  they  are  sinners.  Show 
them  the  spirituality  of  the  Divine  Law. 

"  Let  all  your  conversation  be  kind  and  affectionate. 
Address  sinners  with  all  that  earnestness  and  affection 
with  which  a  pious  father  would  address  his  children 
from  a  death-bed. 

"  Tracts  must  be  circulated,  and  always  attended,  if 
possible,  with  a  short,  but  serious  and  impressive  ad- 
dress. 

"The  sick  and  dying  must  be. visited;  funerals  at- 
tended ;  and  let  an  evening  conference  be  appointed  at 
the  house  of  mourning  as  soon  as   may  be  convenient. 

"Boston  contains  about  40,000  inhabitants,  and 
twenty-four  societies.  Allowing  1,000  souls  to  each 
society,  there  will  be  left  destitute  of  religious  instruc- 
tion, 16,000.  The  number  of  deaths  in  1814,  was  907; 
in  the  year  preceding,  904, 

"  Houses  for  religious  worship  must  be  erected  for 


40  yONAS  KING. 

the  convenience  of  sailors  and  the  destitute  who  belong 
to  the  town. 

"  Let  little  associations  be  formed  in  different  parts 
of  the  town  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining,  (i,)  what  fam- 
ilies are  destitute  of  the  Bible,  (2,)  those  who  do  not  at- 
tend public  worship,  whether  families  or  individuals, 
(3,)  who  need  instruction,  (4,)  what  vices  are  prevalent. 
(5.)  Let  these  little  associations  distribute  Bibles,  tracts, 
etc.,  comfort  the  sick  and  afflicted,  persuade  those  who 
are  able  to  attend  public  worship,  and  prevent  by  various 
means  Sabbath-breaking,  profaneness,  intemperance,  idle- 
ness, and  vice  of  all  kinds. 

"  Let  there  be  little  social  praying  circles  as  many  as 
are  convenient.  It  is  prayer  that  must  bring  down  all 
the  blessings. 

"The  blacks  must  be  attended  to.  Find  some  fit  for 
schoolmasters  or  ministers." 

A  diary  of  visits  made  to  the  poor,  of  meetings  held, 
and  Sunday-school  children  gathered  in,  shows  how 
thoroughly  these  plans  were  carried  out  in  detail. 

Again,  in  Portsmouth,  we  find  the  same  efforts  made  ; 
and  the  following  plans  for  doing  good  added  to  the  for- 
mer list : 

"  Let  every  Christian  converse  with  one  or  more  im- 
penitent sinners  every  day ;  and  at  the  social  prayer- 
meeting  relate  his  success  for  the  encouragement  of 
others. 

"  Obtain  subscribers  for  the  *  Panoplist,'  in  order  to 
extend  religious  information,  and  to  aid  Rev.  Jeremiah 
Evarts. 


EARL  Y  MISSJONAR  Y  EFFORTS.  41 

"  Make  an  effort  to  secure  some  support  for  Mr.  Ev- 
arts,  that  he  may  devote  all  his  time  to  missionary  ob- 
jects. 

"  Form  a  society  among  the  young  men,  auxiliary  to 
the  American  Education  Society." 

In  Portsmouth  Dr.  King  found  many  Christians  who 
were  a  help  to  him  in  his  work,  and  in  his  personal  reli- 
gious experience.  Many  names,  both  here  and  in  Boston, 
he  notes  with  interest  and  affection  ;  among  others,  those 
of  Deacon  Tappan  and  his  daughter  Eliza,  relatives  of 
the  Tappan  brothers  so  widely  known.  Indeed,  these 
early  diaries  are  kept  with  the  system  and  fastidious 
correctness  which  afterwards  were  so  characteristic  of 
the  records  of  his  subsequent  work  abroad. 

Plans  for  doing  good  in  Charleston,  S.  C,  Sept.,  1819, 
also  precede  the  journal  of  his  stay  there. 

"  Endeavor  to  excite  Christians  to  frequent  and  fer- 
vent prayer. 

''  Let  the  members  of  little  circles  for  prayer  have  a 
street  or  part  of  a  street  assigned  them,  in  which  it  shall 
be  their  duty  to  visit  and  converse  with  the  families,  find 
out  their  situation,  whether  they  have  Bibles,  whether 
they  attend  family  prayer,  and  attend  meeting  on  the 
Sabbath  ;  whether  any  have  serious  impression.  When 
the  members  meet,  let  all  the  interesting  cases  be  made 
a  particular  subject  of  prayer. 

"  Visit  Sabbath-schools,  and  have  weekly  meetings  of 
the  instructors,  to  converse  with  them  and  advise  them. 

"Almshouse,  orphanhouse,  hospital  and  jail,  must 
receive  proper  attention. 


42  yONAS  KING. 

"  Seamen.  Form  a  marine  Bible  Society.  Converse 
with  captains  and  officers,  and  try  to  sliow  them  the  im- 
portance of  attending  prayers  on  board  their  vessels. 

"  Write  for  the  '  Southern  EvangeHcal  Intelligencer/ 
on  practical  subjects  of  religion. 

*'  Keep  a  list  of  the  names  of  all  the  families  that  I 
visit. 

"  Seek  out  young  men  of  piety  and  talents,  and  pre- 
vail on  them,  if  possible,  to  engage  in  the  gospel  min- 
istry. 

"  Inquire  the  state  of  schools  and  colleges.  Make 
some  plan  for  their  improvement. 

"  In  order  to  keep  my  mind  vigorous  and  active,  study 
a  little  Latin,  French,  and  Arabic,  every  day." 

While  it  was  simply  impossible  for  any  one  to  carry 
out  in  full  so  many  different  efforts  for  good,  yet  the  high 
aims  and  labor  of  this  young  theological  student  were 
not  without  gratifying  results;  for  in  this  early  part  of 
his  minority  he  was  privileged  in  Charleston,  as  else- 
where, to  gather  gems  to  the  honor  of  his  Lord. 

Let  the  following  testimony  speak  for  itself,  as  given 
by  Rev.  Edward  Palmer  of  Barnwell,  South  Carolina,  the 
father  of  Rev.  B.  C.  Palmer,  D.  D.,  of  New  Orleans,  and 
brother  of  Rev.  Benjamin  Palmer,  D.  D.,  in  whose 
church,  the  Circular  church  of  Charleston,  Jonas  King 
was  ordained  evangelist,  Dec.  17,  1819;  after  which  he 
returned  to  Andover,  and  spent  about  a  year  as  Resi- 
dent Licentiate. 

"Baknwell,  August  17,  1875. 

" .  .  .  .  Probably  I  am  the  only  person  now  living  who 


EARL  Y  MISSIONAR  Y  EFFOR  TS.  43 

can,  from  a  personal  knowledge  of  that. great  and  good 
servant  of  God,  give  any  details  of  him  and  his  work 
while  a  missionary  in  Charleston.  .  .  ,  His  visits  and  his 
labors  were  welcomed  and  appreciated  by  all  the  pious 
with  whom  he  became  conversant,  particularly  by  the 
ladies  of  the  society  in  whose  employ  he  was,  and  who 
were  made  glad  by  his  untiring  and  successful  work 
among  the  poor  and  spiritually  needy  of  the  city.  In 
the  family  of  my  brother,  Rev.  Dr.  Palmer,  whose  lady 
was  the  corresponding  secretary  of  the  society,  and  *in 
my  own  family,  the  female  head  of  which  was  the  su- 
perintendent of  the  same,  the  visits  of  that  dear  brother 
were  very  frequent,  and  always  most  welcome  and  cheer- 
ing. From  personal  and  specific  acquaintance  with  the 
missionary  and  his  work,  I  can  truthfully  say,  that  he 
was  conscientiously,  ardently,  faithfully,  and  persevering- 
ly  devoted  to  the  arduous  duties  he  had  undertaken  ; 
always  giving  the  highest  satisfaction  to  the  society  in 
whose  employ  he  was,  as  well  as  securing  the  ap- 
probation of  all  who  wished  well  to  the  new  and  inter- 
esting enterprise  ;  for,  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  that  was 
the  first  society  of  the  kind  ever  inaugurated  in  the 
place,  undertaken  and  managed  altogether  under  the 
auspices  of  ladies  ;  so  that,  as  in  the  first  report  of  the 
missionary,  he  remarked,  *  The  formation  of  this  society 
I  hail  as  a  star  over  this  city,  like  that  at  Bethlehem, 
and  anticipate  the  time  when  this  star  shall  increase  in 
magnitude,  till  it  shall  attain  the  full-orbed  effulgence  of 
the  meridian  sun.'  .  .  . 

"  Dr.  King's  departure  to  the  North  was  universally 


44  yONAS  KING. 

deplored.  If  you  will  allow  me,  I  will  relate  a  circum- 
stance which  may  be  interesting,  not  only  as  evincing 
his  devotion  to  his  Master,  but  as  developing  his  desire 
to  '  have  laborers  sent  into  the  harvest.' 

"  At  the  time  he  was  in  Charleston,  I  was  the  princi- 
pal of  a  flourishing  academy  in  the  city,  and  not  unfre- 
quently  called  upon  to  deliver  public  addresses  to  certain 
societies.  On  one  occasion  I  delivered  a  missionary  ad- 
dress before  the  '  Young  Men's  Missionary  Society '  in 
th-e  city,  at  which  Brother  King  was  present.  Accom- 
panying me  home,  at  the  close  of  the  same,  he  took  me 
aside  and  asked,  '  Have  you  ever  thought  of  the  ministry 
yourself  f  to  which  I  promptly  replied,  '  Look,  dear  sir, 
at  a  fond  wife,  and  four  lovely  children,  whom  I  am 
bound  by  every  tender  and  loving  tie,  to  support,  and 
then  see  whether  such  a  question  can  be  asked.'  He 
immediately  rejoined,  '  If  the  Lord  shall  call,  he  will  open 
up  the  way,'  and  then  begged  me  to  give  the  subject  a 
prayerful  consideration.  Forthwith  he  communicated  with 
my  brother  and  pastor,  Rev.  Dr.  Palmer,  Sen.,  and  other 
pious  friends  ;  especially  with  Dr.  Porter,  the  senior  pro- 
fessor of  Andover  Seminary,  then  on  a  southern  visit  for 
health ;  all  of  which,  to  bring  this  topic  to  a  close,  culmi- 
nated in  my  going  to  Andover  Seminary  in  1821,  and 
returning  in  1824  a  regularly-ordained  minister,  whom  a 
kind  Providence  has  permitted  to  labor  in  the  vineyard 
over  5 1  years ;  and  though  no  longer  a  settled  pastor, 
having  the  last  year  resigned  my  pastorate,  I  am  still 
preaching  nearly  every  Sabbath,  at  the  advanced  age  of 
nearly  87. 


EARL  Y  MISSIONAR  Y  EFFOR  TS.  45 

"  Instrumentally,  therefore,  Dr.  King  ushered  me  into 
the  ministry,  and  then,  perhaps,  through  me,  my  two 
sons,  laboring  in  New  Orleans  and  Mobile. 

"  I  take  the  liberty  of  enclosing  Dr.  King's  first  re- 
port, which  I  have  cut  out  of  a  bound  volume  of  reports." 

This  report,  whose  leaves  are  brown  with  age,  is  of 
-interest,  not  only  as  regarding  Dr.  King,  but  also  as  be- 
ing an  earnest,  given  so  long  ago,  of  what  the  Christian 
women  of  the  present  day,  by  God's  blessing,  are  being 
privileged  to  undertake  and  accomplish. 


46  yOJVAS  KING. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

GOING  ABROAD,  AND  LIFE  IN  PARIS. 

Studies  Continued — Way  opened  to  prosecute  them  in  Paris — 
Appointment  as  Professor  in  Amherst  College — Gospel  Meet- 
ings held  in  Europe— Serious  Illness— Letter  from  Pliny 
Fisk,  calling  him  to  Palestine— Acquaintance  with  Baron  de 
Stael,  and  other  men  of  note— Tracts  and  New  Testaments 
distributed  at  Notre  Dame,  Malmaison,  Versailles,  and  Mount 
Calvary— Preaching  in  Paris— First  Observance  there  of  the 
Monthly  Concert. 

The  following  entry  was  made,  May  30,  1 821,  in  an 
early  diary  :  "  Decided  to  leave  this  country  for  Europe 
to  study  Arabic,  under  the  celebrated  De  Sacy." 

In  order  to  a  full  understanding  of  the  way  in  which 
Dr.  King  was  led  to  this  decision,  and  so  onwards 
through  France  to  his  work  in  the  East,  it  is  necessary 
to  notice  in  what  direction  his  mind  was  turned  during 
his  last  year  in  Andover.     He  writes  : 

"From  November,  1820,  till  the  spring  of  1821,  I 
spent  my  time  in  reading  the  Hebrew  Bible,  Oriental 
Antiquities,  by  Jahn  and  Warnercroft  in  German,  the 
Greek  and  Latin  Fathers,  Livy's  History,  Eichhorn's 
Extracts  of  History  in  Latin,  the  works  of  Massillon  in 
French,  Quintilian,  and  commenced  a  translation  of 
Bellerman's  Biblical  Geography.  During  this  time,  was 
put  into  my  hands  by  Mrs.  P.  the  Life  of  Henry  Martyn, 
as  she  feared   I   was  too  much  occupied  with  human 


GOING  ABROAD,  AND  LIFE  IN  PARIS.      47 

science,  and  two  little  with  divine.  This  I  read  with 
eagerness,  but  instead  of  abating  my  desire  for  study,  it 
increased  it.  About  the  same  time  appeared  a  little 
pamphlet  by  Mr.  Stuart,  containing  extracts  from  Jahn's 
dissertation  on  the  Study  of  Languages,  accompanied 
with  notes  by  Mr.  Stuart.  The  effect  of  this  and  of 
Martyn's  Life  was  powerful,  so  that  it  was  sometimes 
with  difficulty  that  I  could  sleep.  It  seemed  to  me  that 
something  almost  supernatural  had  possessed  my  breast. 
My  desire  was  to  go  to  Europe  to  acquire  the  Arabic 
language,  and  then  enter  whatever  field  of  labor  should 
be  presented,  perhaps  a  mission  among  the  Arabians  or 
Persians.  It  had  been  my  plan  for  more  than  two  years 
to  take  this  course,  if  the  way  should  ever  be  opened.  I 
had  often  made  it  a  subject  of  prayer,  and  had  expressed 
my  intentions  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Russell  and  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
O'Neale,  at  Charleston. 

"  How  to  procure  the  means  was  now  the  question. 
What  would  support  me  at  Andover  or  Princeton,  could 
not  do  so  at  Paris  or  Gottingen.  At  length  I  concluded 
to  address  a  benevolent  and  wealthy  gentleman  of  my 
acquaintance.  Col.  I.  C.  Trask,  of  Springfield.  After 
having  written  the  letter,  I  spread  it  repeatedly  before 
the  Lord,  and  begged  that  if  those  feelings  and  desires 
that  possessed  my  breast  caipie  of  him,  and  if  he  would 
indeed  go  with  me  and  preserve  me  from  being  led 
astray  by  human  philosophy  and  the  allurements  of  the 
world,  that  he  would  incline  the  heart  of  him  to  whom 
the  letter  was  addressed  to  give  me  a  favorable  answer. 
After  having  sent  it,  I  devoted  a  day  to  fasting  and 


4S  yONAS  KING. 

prayer ;  and  thought  that  if  I  did  not  mistake  my  feel- 
ings, they  were  such  as  I  had  often  observed  previous  to 
having  my  petitions  granted. 

"  I  soon  received  an  answer  from  Col.  T.  requesting 
me  to  meet  him  at  Boston,  and  to  take  lodgings  there  in 
the  first  hotel  at  his  expense.  I  was  on  my  way  thither, 
when  the  letter  was  given  me  by  a  stagedriver.  On 
arriving,  he  generously  offered  to  furnish  me  with  five 
hundred  dollars.  I  at  once  decided  to  go  to  Europe,  if 
I  had  to  make  my  way  back  as  a  common  sailor ;  and 
wrote  to  my  Charleston  friends  on  the  subject.  Without 
waiting  for  answer,  I  packed  up  my  things  at  Andover, 
conveyed  them  to  Boston,  and  had  made  every  prepara- 
tion to  go  on  to  New  York  to  set  sail  for  Havre,  when  I 
received  from  Mr.  O'Neale  the  sorrowful  tidings  of  his 
wife's  death.  I  went  back  to  Andover  to  spend  a  few 
days  in  mourning,  and  was  by  some  circumstance  led 
thence  to  Newburyport,  where  I  unexpectedly  re- 
ceived the  offer  from  the  Hon.  W.  B.  Bannister,  cousin 
of  my  father,  of  a  passage  in  a  vessel  of  his  bound  to 
Holland  ;   also  of  provisions  for  the  voyage." 

The  preceding  year  Jonas  King  had  been  able  to 
procure  for  the  Seminary  at  Andover,  upwards  of  two 
thousand  dollars.  This  may  have  influenced  the  Treas- 
urer to  make  him  now  a  lo^n  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
dollars,  one  of  the  trustees  becoming  security. 

Letters  from  the  South  were  received  approving  of 
his  plans,  and  with  fresh  offers  of  service. 

"  Thus  everything  was  favorable.  The  ship  was  ready, 
and  I  was  only  waiting  for  a  fair  wind  to  waft  me  over 


GOING  ABROAD,  AND  LIFE  IN  PARIS.      49 

the  ocean,  when  I  received  the  information  that  I  was 
appointed  Professor  of  Oriental  Languages  in  Amherst 
College." 

This  appointment  was  communicated  to  Dr.  King  by- 
Noah  Webster,  LL  D.,  then  president  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees.  While  he  appreciated  the  honor  offered  him, 
he  was  still  somewhat  doubtful  what  he  ought  to  do.  He 
feared  the  duties  connected  with  it  would  shut  him  out 
of  the  direct  work  of  the  ministry  ;  but  upon  conference 
with  the  Rev.  Dr.  Storrs,  Stuart,  and  other  friends,  he 
decided  to  accept  this  service  for  the  Great  Head  of  the 
Church,  whose  special  guidance  he  was  seeking  as  to  his 
course  in  life. 

Dr.  Moses  Stuart  wrote  : 

"  My  Dear  Sir  :  I  have  consulted  my  brethren  on 
the  subject  of  your  office.  We  are  unanimously  of 
opinion  that  it  will  be  a  good  thing  both  for  you  and  for 
the  college.  It  will  give  you  advantages  to  go  out  as 
professor  elect,  and  they  may  profit  very  much  by  your 
services  in  procuring  books.  In  the  mean  time,  as 
Oriental  Literature  in  a  college  at  present  will  hardly 
give  you  full  scope,  I  presume  they  will  superadd  the 
Greek  in  due  time,  which  will  give  you  a  chance  to  go  to 
Gbttingen.  However,  as  Providence  has  opened  the 
way  for  Oriental  Literature,  in  conscience  you  are  bound 
to  make  this  the  chief  object  of  your  attention. 

"  Yours  in  haste, 

"M.   STUART." 

The  Trustees  of  Amherst  College  were  anxious  to 
have  their  own  professor  well  qualified  for  his  position, 


50  JONAS  KING. 

and  fully  approved  of  having  him  still  carry  out  his  plan 
to  study  abroad.  Providence  in  every  way  favored  this 
intention.  A  passport  was  no  idle  form  in  those  days, 
nor  easy  to  obtain ;  yet  just  in  time  "a  citizen  from  his 
own  country"  was  sent  to  identify  him  as  the  law 
required.  A  letter  of  introduction  was  given  him  by 
Mr.  N.  Carnes  of  Boston,  to  S.  V.  S.  Wilder,  an  American 
merchant  residing  in  Paris.  He  sailed  from  Boston 
August  1 8,  1 82 1,  arriving  in  Holland  in  thirty-five  days, 
and  at  Paris  on  October  9. 

On  his  way  he  devoted  some  little  time  to  objects  of 
interest  which  were  then  especially  attractive  to  one 
fresh  from  Massachusetts.  He  formed  acquaintances, 
afterwards  of  value,  with  some  Protestant  ministers  and 
laymen  in  Amsterdam,  Rotterdam,  and  other  places  ; 
he  also  held  religious  services  wherever  practicable,  both 
at  sea  and  on  land.  In  proposing  such  meetings,  there 
was  a  directness  and  simplicity  in  Dr.  King's  manner, 
such  as  implied  expectation  of  success  as  a  matter  of 
course  ;  it  was  not  easy  to  refuse  any  appointment  sug- 
gested by  the  earnest  young  American  stranger,  and  he 
seems  everywhere  to  have  received  a  warm  Christian 
welcome. 

Once  in  Paris,  he  began  study  immediately,  being  at 
great  disadvantage,  however,  because  obliged  to  learn 
Arabic  through  the  French  language.  In  about  two 
months  his  health  declined.  Change  to  other  lodgings 
seemed  of  no  avail.  "  By  the  last  of  March,"  he  writes, 
"  I  was  taken  ill  of  a  high  bilious  fever,  and  was  confined 
to  my  bed  for  nearly  a  month.     So  little  hope,  at  one 


GOING  ABROAD,  AND  LIFE  IN  PARIS.      51 

time,  was  entertained  of  my  recovery,  that  a  place  was 
selected  for  me  in  the  Pere-la-Chaise,  where  I  might  rest 
my  weary  head  till  the  trumpet  of  the  archangel  should 
awake  me.  The  thought  that  my  progress  in  study  must 
now  be  interrupted,  just  as  I  had  begun  to  pursue  it  with 
a  little  pleasure  ;  that  I  was  spending  upon  physicians, 
and  watchers,  and  nurses,  and  apothecaries,  the  little 
pittance  of  money  that  remained  to  me  ;  and  that  con- 
sequently I  should  be  obliged  soon  to  return  to  America 
without  having  accomplished  the  object  of  my  coming — 
all  this  tended  to  sink  my  spirits  still  more,  and  add 
strength  to  my  disease.  The  thought  of  my  poor  parents 
distressed  me,  and  such  were  the  feelings  of  my  heart, 
that  I  had  little  spiritual  comfort.  Sometimes  I  was 
more  resigned,  and  when  the  nurse  would  leave  the 
room,  I  would  lift  up  my  voice  and  say,  '  O  Lord,  con- 
tinue thy  chastisement  if  that  be  necessary  to  make  me 
humble,  and  fit  me  for  thy  service.  Take  away  my 
health,  keep  me  on  this  bed  of  sickness  till  I  shall  have 
gained  spiritual  strength  to  overcome  the  world.  Stop 
my  progress  in  study,  take  away  the  little  pittance  of 
support  I  have,  if  I  may  but  learn  the  heavenly  art  of 
living  near  to  thee,  and  may  be  rich  in  faith  towards 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  "  Thus  like  David  he  cried  unto 
the  Lord  in  his  trouble,  and  was  soon  able  to  write,  "  I 
can  truly  bless  the  Lord  for  this  chastisement.  I  have 
since  had  more  comfort  in  prayer,  more  evidence  of  my 
union  to  Christ." 

It  was  not  until  the  last  of  June,  that  he  was  able  to 
take  up  study  again  with  vigor ;   and  then  suddenly, 


52  yONAS  KING, 

through  the  instrumentality  of  a  letter  received  from  the 
Rev.  Pliny  Fisk,  his  attention  was  fixed  on  a  new  object, 
a  Mission  to  the  Holy  Land. 

Before  noting  the  circumstances  that  favored  his 
acceptance  of  this  missionary  call,  there  is  much  to 
claim  attention  in  Dr.  King's  life  in  Paris  itself.  Here 
he  became  acquainted  not  only  with  Mr.  Wilder  and 
family,  but,  at  Mr.  Wilder's  house,  with  many  Christian 
people  from  England  and  other  parts  of  Europe,  who 
afterwards  proved  friends  indeed.  Mr.  Augustus  H. 
Hillhouse  of  New  Haven  helped  him  in  many  ways  ne- 
cessary to  a  stranger  in  a  strange  city.  Tuesday,  No- 
vember 4,  1 82 1,  Dr.  King  writes  :  "Was  introduced  to  a 
large  society  of  savants  from  all  parts  of  the  world  at 
Mr.  Langle's,  Conservateur  des  Manuscrits  Orientales. 
Conversed  much  with  an  American  doctor.  Met  a  Per- 
sian, a  Dane,  a  Spaniard,  etc. 

"Monday,  Jan.  14,  1822.  Visited  for  the  first  time 
the  Baron  de  Stael-Holstein,  son  of  the  celebrated  Ma- 
dame de  Stael,  and  rejoiced  exceedingly  to  lind  him  much 
interested  in  the  cause  of  religion.  Said  he  found  his 
mind  fluctuating.  Sometimes  he  thought  he  had  some 
grace,  at  other  times  was  almost  disposed  to  say  he  had 
none.  That  he  was  in  the  practice  of  reading  the  Scrip- 
tures, which  he  would  do  if  it  were  only  for  the  beauty 
of  the  composition  and  the  imagery.  Said  that  he  spent 
one  year  at  Geneva,  when  about  seventeen  years  of  age, 
in  attending  lectures  on  theology  ;  that  this  was  the  only 
year  of  his  life  that  he  should  be  willing  to  live  over 
again,  if  it  were  left  to  him  to  choose;  hoped  that  he 


GOING  ABROAD,  AND  LIFE  IN  PARIS.      53 

should  become  more  and  more  engaged  in  the  good 
cause  of  extending  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ  to 
fallen  man.  Said  that  it  appeared  to  him  that  the  grand 
truths  taught  by  revelation  seemed  also  to  be  graven  on 
the  heart  of  man  :  first,  that  he  needed  a  Mediator,  a 
Redeemer ;  and,  second,  that  the  operation  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  was  necessary  ;  that  men  absolutely  find  some- 
thing that  it  is  out  of  their  power  to  obtain,  and  which 
must  be  given  them.  Made  inquiries  with  regard  to 
Arianism  in  America ;  said  that  unhappily  in  France, 
and  on  the  Continent  generally.  Unitarian  sentiments 
prevailed;  that  they  were  chilling;  that  he  thought  no 
man  could  read  the  Scriptures  and  not  believe  them,  nor 
without  at  once  admitting  that  Jesus  Christ  is  truly 
divine  and  one  with  the  Father.  He  thought  also  that 
the  doctrine  of  the  agency  of  God  continually  exerted 
upon  man  was  evident.  I  related  to  him  some  things 
which  were  doing  in  America ;  he  wished  to  know  what 
sect  was  most  engaged  in  doing  good ;  thought  exer- 
tions to  do  good  were  evidences  of  the  purity  of  religion. 
Greeted  me  with  much  kindness,  and  said  that  he  should 
be  highly  gratified  to  call  on  me  often  to  converse  on 
those  interesting  subjects." 

Dr.  King  also  notes  interviews  with  Prof.  Edward 
Everett,  Dr.  Spurzheim,  Monod,  father  and  son.  Gen. 
Macaulay,  Prof.  Blumhartt,  Rev.  Lewis  Way,  F.  Andre 
Michaux,  Rev.  Daniel  Wilson,  Soulier  (pastor),  Marron, 
President  of  the  Consistoire,  Rev.  Gardner  Spring,  01s- 
hausen,  Van  Lennep  of  Smyrna,  Louis  Mertens,  Wad- 
dington,  and  other  typical  men  of  that  day. 

5* 


54  JONAS  KING. 

Dr.  King  makes  special  mention  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Tacey,  because  he  was  intimately  acquainted  with  Henry 
Kirke  White  and  Henry  Martyn.  "  He  showed  me  a 
letter  in  Martyn's  own  handwriting,  and  observed  he  had 
just  paid  a  visit  to  the  lady  who  was  so  dear  to  Martyn's 
heart.  He  spoke  highly  of  our  President  Edwards  and  of 
David  Brainerd,  and  remarked  that  he  esteemed  Martyn 
very  highly ;  he  thought  Brainerd  superior  to  him  or  to 
any  other  missionary  whose  life  he  had  ever  read." 

But  Dr.  King  had  an  opportunity  in  Paris  to  make 
acquaintance,  not  with  persons  only,  but  with  places  in 
and  about  the  city  which  then,  as  now,  was  full  of  works 
of  art  and  various  collections  of  interest ;  among  them 
some  Egyptian  antiquities  were  new  indeed  to  the  young 
American  professor,  who  drew  from  his  examination  of 
them  many  lessons  as  to  the  past  and  present,  little 
thinking  he  would  himself  so  soon  visit  the  actual  places 
from  which  these  relics  had  been  taken. 

He  also  went  to  Argenteuil,  where  Eloise  was  once 
abbess,  and  to  the  lunatic  hospital  at  Salpetriere.  De- 
scriptions of  these,  as  seen  more  than  fifty-five  years 
ago,  are  given,  but  must  here  be  passed  by. 

At  Malmaison,  as  elsewhere.  Dr.  King  and  his  friends 
remembered  the  great  commission,  and  talked  to  the  por- 
ter, who  had  been  in  charge  for  twenty-two  years,  and  to 
his  family  of  the  vanity  of  this  world's  glory,  giving  to 
his  little  girl,  named  Josephine,  the  tract  entitled  "  The 
Dairyman's  Daughter."  At  family  prayers  that  evening 
it  seemed  most  appropriate  to  sing  Dr.  Malan's  hymn, 
just  then  published: 


GOING  ABROAD,  AND  LIFE  IN  PARIS.      55 

"Que  peut  le  monde 
A  mon  bonheur? 
Car  je  le  fonde 
Sur  mon  Sauveur. 

"  II  me  I'acquit 
Quand  il  suffit 
Pour  mes  peches 
Qu'il  a  portes." 

In  Paris,  too,  the  actual  sight  of  the  mummeries  of 
Roman-catholic  worship,  carried  out  there  as  was  not 
the  case  at  that  time  in  the  United  States,  still  further 
prepared  Dr.  King  for  the  war  he  was  to  wage  for  "  the 
faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints."  To  see  the  sacrile- 
gious bowings  to  the  images  in  the  church  of  Notre 
Dame  made  his  "  blood  fairly  boil  in  his  veins."  At  the 
same  time  the  ceremonial  was  so  imposing,  he  realized 
how  easily  the  thoughtless  or^  weakminded  could  be 
drawn  away  by  it  from  the  simplicity  of  the  pure  gospel. 

An  extract  from  his  Journal  of  Aug.  15,  1822,  gives 
Dr.  King's  impressions  of  Roman-catholicism,  seen  in  its 
most  favorable  aspect. 

"  Called  on  Bishop  Gregoire.  Spent  about  two  hours 
in  conversing  on  the  subject  of  religion  and  of  my  jour- 
ney to  Palestine.  Asked  him  to  tell  me  frankly  if  he 
thought  that  any  out  of  the  Catholic  Roman  church 
could  be  saved.  His  answer  was  very  nearly  that  *  he 
thought  not'  Said  he  was  not  in  favor  of  persecution  ; 
that  he  condemned,  and  he  only  prayed  for  those  who 
differed  from  him,  I  then  stated  to  him  my  belief  as 
nearly  that  of  Massillon,  except  that  I  could  not  believe 
in  images,  etc. ;  that  my  Bible  told  me,  '  Thou  shalt  not 


56  yONAS  KING. 

make  thee  any  graven  image — thou  shalt  not  bow  thy- 
self down  unto  them,'  etc. ;  that  I  took  the  Bible  for  my 
guide,  Jesus  Christ  for  my  Saviour,  discarding  entirely 
my  own  work  as  giving  title  to  merit ;  that  I  believed  in 
regeneration,  and  was  willing  to  spend  my  life  in  doing 
good  to  the  souls  of  my  fellow-men.  '  Now,'  said  I,  '  you 
will  pardon  me  for  questioning  you  so  closely,  but  I  have 
a  great  desire  to  know  your  opinion,  as  in  America  we 
consider  you  as  a  distinguished  and  enlightened  man. 
Do  you  think  that  if  I  die  to-day  or  to-morrow  with 
these  feelings  I  shall  be  lost  for  ever  T  He  replied  that 
he  must  say  '  Yes  ;'  and  that  I  must  be  more  culpable  in 
the  sight  of  God  because  I  had  had  opportunity  to  know 
the  truth,  and  ought  to  have  been  right  by  this  time, 

"  After  long  conversation  on  various  points  I  wished 
him  a  good-day.  He  took  me  by  the  hand  very  affec- 
tionately, invited  me  to  call  and  see  him,  etc.,  and  I  came 
away. 

"  Saw  the  Feast  of  the  Assumption  of  the  Virgin. 
On  this  day  the  royal  family  walk  around  Notre  Dame 
barefooted  and  bareheaded,  in  fulfilment  of  a  vow  made 
by  Louis  XHI.  to  the  Virgin  Mary. 

"  There  are  some  parts  of  our  earth  in  which,  al- 
though the  sun  shines  ever  so  bright,  it  seems  dark. 
Who  could  believe  that  a  man  so  enlightened  as  Bishop 
Gregoire,  a  man  who  has  such  extensive  acquaintance  as 
he  has  in  Germany,  Italy,  England,  etc.,  who  has  made 
so  great  attainments  in  literature,  has  ventured  to  com- 
bat the  high,  the  mighty  pope,  so  that  all  good  Catholics 
suppose    that  he  aimed  at  deposing  him — who,  I  say, 


GOING  ABROAD,  AND  LIFE  IN  PARIS.      57 

could  suppose  that  his  views  would  be  so  narrow  ?  And 
who  could  believe  that  in  the  nineteenth  century  the 
royal  family  of  France  would  be  seen  walking  barefooted 
and  bareheaded  in  the  streets  of  Paris,  supposing  this  to 
be  a  most  delightful  sight  to  the  Virgin  Mary  ?  Lord, 
what  is  man  ?" 

Again,  Sept.  17,  1822,  on  occasion  of  a  visit  paid  to 
Versailles,  and  after  reflections  on  the  insufficiency  of 
the  prayers  of  all  Catholic  France  to  redeem  the  contam- 
inated soul  of  Louis  XIV.  from  the  pains  of  purgatory — 
if  purgatory  could  be  supposed  to  exist — Dr.  King  writes : 
"  While  walking  through  the  mighty  hall  of  this  immense 
palace,  viewing  its  beautifully-gilded  columns  and  splen- 
did paintings,  I  stepped  up  to  the  officer  who  conducted 
us,  and  who  .was  pointing  out  to  us  the  most  interesting 
objects,  and  said  to  him,  'Sir,  what  is  all  the  glory  of 
this  world  "i  Louis  XIV.,  encircled  with  all  this  gran- 
deur, could  not  help  dying  ;  and  what  is  he  the  better  for 
it .''  An  interest  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  worth  the 
whole  of  it,  and  infinitely  transcends  it.'  '  I  believe  it,' 
replied  he.  I  then  asked  him  if  he  had  ever  read  the 
Sacred  Scriptures.  The  answer  was,  '  No,  I  have  never 
seen  them.'  I  then  presented  him  with  a  New  Testa- 
ment, and  charged  him  to  read  in  it  one  chapter  every 
day,  with  prayer  to  almighty  God  for  the  illumination  of 
his  Holy  Spirit.  This  he  promised  to  do,  and  said  that 
he  had  a  family  of  children,  who  should  do  it  too.  He 
thanked  me  repeatedly,  and  during  my  stay  in  the  palace 
treated  me  with  particular  attention.  On  coming  out  he 
showed  his  precious    treasure    to    another   officer,  who 


58  JONAS  KING. 

looked  at  me  as  though  he  wished  one  too,  and  I  imme- 
diately returned  and  presented  one  to  him,  who  seemed 
much  delighted,  and  made  like  promises  as  his  friend. 
After  distributing  a  few  tracts  to  some  we  met  in  the 
court,  we  made  our  way  through  the  garden  to  the  Grand 
Trianon,  a  house  built  by  Louis  XIV.  for  his  mistress, 
Madame  Maintenon.  Here  also  we  left  a  New  Testa- 
ment. Thence  we  went  to  the  Petit  Trianon,  built  by 
Louis  XV.  for  his  mistress,  Madame  Pompadour,  and 
there  we  left  another  New  Testament.  Both  were  re- 
ceived with  apparent  gratitude  and  with  many  thanks. 

"  Met  the  Duke  d'Angouleme  and  his  suite ;  next,  the 
king  and  his  attendants.  It  was  truly  a  brilliant  sight. 
The  king  passed  within  tv/o  rods  of  me  as  I  sat  in  my 
carriage.  I  had  a  full  view  of  him,  and  he  looked  me 
full  in  the  face.  He  is  of  a  dark  complexion,  and  looks 
like  a  man  of  greater  talents  than  I  had  thought  him  to 
be.  How  many  hundreds  are  put  in  motion  by  one  man  ! 
The  Marshal  of  France  is  answerable  with  his  head  for 
the  safety  of  the  king  during  his  promenades.  Had  in 
the  carriage  with  us  a  soldier  who  had  made  the  cam- 
paign of  Moscow,  fought  the  Cossacks,  and  was  taken 
prisoner.  Began  to  talk  with  him  about  the  spiritual 
combat  which  it  was  necessary  to  fight  in  order  to  gain 
heaven.  At  first  he  seemed  disposed  to  make  light  of 
everything  serious.  But  seeing  we  were  in  earnest,  he 
began  to  be  so  too,  and  confessed  that  he  often  thought 
much  of  future  things  ;  that,  when  a  child,  he  had  been 
taught  to  read,  and  that  he  carried  a  New  Testament 
with  him  into  the  army,  and  then  lost  it,  but  that  he  had 


GOING  ABROAD,  AND  LIFE  IN  PARIS.      59 

always  continued  to  pray,  and  that  he  believed  in  Jesus 
Christ.  Mr.  Wilder  gave  him  some  tracts  and  a  New 
Testament,  which  he  received  with  much  gratitude." 

Thus  it  appears  that  no  scenes  connected  with  the 
glory  of  this  world  were  able  to  draw  away  the  attention 
of  the  Christian  soldier,  Dr.  King,  from  his  appointed 
work.  Like  Paul,  he  said  in  practice  if  not  in  words, 
"This  one  thing  I  do." 

Nor  was  the  distribution  of  tracts,  of  which  he  made 
such  a  specialty,  altogether  unattended  with  personal 
danger,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  account  subjoined  of  two 
visits  paid  to  Mt.  Calvary,  near  Paris ;  the  first  one  Sept. 
15,  1822.  After  divine  service.  Dr.  Spring,  Mr.  Wilder, 
myself,  and  some  others,  set  out  on  a  visit  to  Mt.  Cal- 
vary, about  a  mile  and  a  half  distant  from  Nanterre,  and 
which  for  nine  days  during  the  month  of  September  is 
the  resort  of  pilgrims,  some  of  whom  come  sixty,  eighty, 
or  a  hundred  miles  on  foot,  to  pay  their  blind  devotions 
there.  Having  filled  our  pockets  with  tracts,  we  began 
to  ascend  the  mountain,  distributing  them  on  the  right- 
hand  and  the  left,  to  the  thousands  that  were  ascending 
and  descending.  After  a  walk  of  about  three-quarters 
of  an  hour  we  reached  the  top  of  this  eminence,  on  which 
stands  a  convent,  and  at  a  distance  a  large  pile  of  stones 
and  ragged  rocks,  beneath  which  is  represented  the  tomb 
of  our  Saviour,  and  above  which  he  hangs  on  the  cross, 
between  the  two  thieves.  The  representation  is  as  large 
as  life,  and  very  striking.  One  of  the  thieves  has  marked 
in  his  countenance,  horror,  infidelity,  and  despair  ;  the 
other,  with  eyes  turned  to  the  Saviour,  expresses  deep 


6o  JONAS  KING. 

anguish,  a  sense  of  the  justice  of  his  suffering,  mingled 
with  hope.  On  a  nearer  approach  I  perceived  a  little 
cross,  painted  on  the  foot  of  the  one  on  which  hung  our 
Saviour,  and  multitudes  were  climbing  up  to  kiss  it  one 
after  another.  There  was  with  us  a  young  lady,  who 
had  lately  turned  from  the  Catholic  faith  to  Protestant- 
ism. With  her  I  entered  the  tomb,  where  men,  women, 
and  children  were  kneeling,  and  paying  their  adorations 
to  the  image  of  our  Lord,  which  is  lying  wrapt  in  fine 
linen.  By  its  side  I  observed  a  great  quantity  of  sous 
and  six-liard  pieces,  which  were  cast  in  by  the  worship- 
pers, and  which,  I  suppose,  are  gathered  up  at  night  by 
the  priests.  Coming  out  of  the  tomb,  I  saw,  at  the  foot 
of  the  cross,  and  back  of  it,  a  little  place  resembling  a 
pulpit,  in  which  stood  a  priest,  and  before  him  thousands 
singing  with  loud  voice  a  sacred  song.  This  was  to  me 
solemn,  though  the  tune  was  an  air  from  the  opera.  As 
the  song  ceased,  the  priest  began  to  harangue  the  peo- 
ple on  the  subject  of  coming  to  this  interesting  moun- 
tain, and  telling  them  when  the  royal  family  would  come, 
and  other  things  equally  important.  As  I  left  the  cross, 
my  attention  began  to  be  arrested  by  the  surrounding 
scenery.  This  mountain  is  a  high  elevation  rising  in 
the  middle  of  an  extensive  vale,  beyond  which  are  seen, 
on  the  east,  the  domes  and  spires  of  Paris  ;  on  the  south, 
St.  Cloud  ;  on  the  north,  the  villages  of  Nanterre  and 
Chaton  ;  on  the  west,  Marley  and  St.  Germain.  Between 
these,  lie  scattered  along  numerous  clusters  of  houses, 
little  villages  and  groves.  At  its  foot  on  the  east,  the 
river  Seine  winds  its  slow  and  peaceful  way  through  the 


GOING  ABROAD,  AND  LIFE  IN  PARIS.     6i 

midst  of  verdant  fields,  till  it  loses  itself  behind  the  vil- 
lage of  Neuilly,  and  after  a  circuitous  course  appears 
again  on  the  north  near  Chaton,  moving  onward  towards 
St.  Germain.  In  this  vale,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach, 
were  seen  pilgrims  going  and  coming  in  all  directions. 
The  sides  of  the  mountain,  particularly  towards  the  east, 
south,  and  north,  are  thinly  covered  with  shrubbery  and 
trees,  among  which  wind  about  in  various  directions  nu- 
merous footpaths  leading  to  the  convent  on  the  summit. 
At  different  distances  on  the  sides  of  these  paths,  stand 
little  buildings,  open  in  front,  called  stations.  In  them 
are  images  of  Christ,  the  Virgin  Mary,  etc.  Before  these 
the  pilgrims  stop,  kneel  down  on  the  ground  and  worship. 
One  I  observed  was  a  station  to  pray  for  the  dead.  We 
visited  several  of  these  stations,  and  distributed  the  tract 
entitled  *  Le  Sermon  de  notre  Sauveur  sur  la  Montague.' 
This  was  received  with  much  avidity  and  gratitude.  We 
even  gave  them  to  those  who  were  on  their  knees,  in  the 
act  of  adoration,  who  would  rise  and  come  after  us,  to 
thank  us.  Frequently  they  would  all  leave  their  devo- 
tions, and  flock  round  us  to  receive  this  precious  gift ; 
and  when  our  tracts  were  all  gone,  some  inquired  when 
we  should  come  again.  We  left  them  giving  us  thanks, 
and  made  our  way  back  to  Nanterre." 

The  second  visit  to  this  place  of  special  superstitious 
observances,  was  made  the  following  Thursday.  "Went 
to  Nanterre,  where  we  arrived  a  little  after  midday.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Wilder,  and  one  or  two  others,  had  gone  to  Mt. 
Calvary,  to  distribute  tracts  and  Testaments.  Dr.  Spring 
and  myself  having  filled  our  pockets  and  hats  and  hands 


62  yONAS  KING. 

with  tracts  and  Testaments,  set  off  with  the  hope  of  find- 
ing them.  Just  as  we  began  to  ascend  the  mountain,  we 
saw  them  coming  at  a  distance.  On  meeting  them,  they 
told  us  that  they  had  been  stopped  by  the  commissary 
of  police,  and  that  a  policeman,  by  order  of  the  priest 
in  authority,  had  taken  away  their  tracts  and  Testaments, 
and  prohibited  them  in  the  name  of  the  law  to  distribute 
any  more  on  Mount  Calvary.  Mr.  W.  advised  us  not  to 
proceed  with  the  intention  of  distributing  those  which 
we  had.  We,  however,  went  on,  giving  to  every  one  we 
met,  till  we  came  in  sight  of  the  gens  d'armes,  when  we 
ceased  giving,  but  occasionally  let  some  fall  from  our 
pockets,  which  the  wind,  which  was  very  high,  scattered 
in  all  directions,  so  that  they  were  gathered  up  by  the 
crowd.  At  length  we  arrived  at  the  top  of  the  mountain, 
took  our  stand  on  the  highest  elevation  near  the  cross, 
and  there  in  our  own  language  offered  up,  each  of  us,  a 
prayer  to  the  God  of  heaven  for  direction,  and  that  he 
would  have  mercy  on  those  tens  of  thousands  that  we 
saw  around  us,  bowing  before  graven  images.  I  then 
felt  in  some  degree  strengthened  to  go  on,  and  taking  a 
tract  from  my  pocket,  I  presented  it  to  a  lady  who  stood 
near  me,  and  who  appeared-  to  be  a  lady  of  some  distinc- 
tion. She  received  it  with  thanks,  and  I  was  not  noticed 
by  the  gens  d'armes.  Dr.  Spring  let  some  fall  from  his 
pocket,  and  we  made  our  way  down  to  one  of  the  sta- 
tions. There  he  laid  some  on  the  charity  box,  while  I 
stood  before  him  to  hide  what  he  did.  We  then  went  to 
another  station,  and  I  gave  ten  or  twelve  to  a  lady,  whom 
I  charged  to  distribute  them.     She  was  immediately  sur- 


GOING  ABROAD,  AND  LIFE  IN  PARIS.      63 

rounded  by  a  number,  to  whom  she  distributed,  while  we 
made  our  way  to  another  station ;  and  finally  we  took 
our  way  home,  and  distributed  till  we  came  to  the  foot 
of  the  mountain,  when  we  found  we  had  no  more  to  give. 
Some  took  me  for  one  of  the  Roman-catholic  missiona- 
ries, and  to  these  I  gave  a  number,  and  charged  them  to 
go  on  to  the  top  of  the  mountain  and  distribute,  which 
they  reverentially  promised  to  do. 

"  The  tracts  we  distributed  were,  '  Christ's  Sermon  on 
the  Mount,'  and  '  St.  Paul's  Defence  before  Agrippa.' 
We  gave  about  four  hundred  of  these,  and  some  New 
Testaments,  which  were  received  by  nearly  all  with  grat- 
itude and  joy.  Occasionally  we  were  refused.  On  the 
whole,  we  have  distributed  since  last  Sabbath,  seventeen 
hundred  tracts.  I  should  judge  there  were  on  the  moun- 
tain and  around  it  twenty  thousand  people." 

Dr.  King  preached  more  than  once  in  the  "  Oratoire," 
and  also  at  Mr.  Wilder's  house  in  Paris,  and  in  Nanterre. 
Mr.  Wilder,  having  special  protection  from  Talleyrand, 
to  whom  he  had  brou^it  letters  of  introduction  from  Dr. 
Jedediah  Morse,  father  of  the  distinguished  Morse  broth- 
ers, was  able  to  hold  in  his  own  house  meetings,  which 
under  other  circumstances  were  prohibited  by  law.  Dr. 
King  makes  early  record  of  a  missionary-meeting  held 
at  Mr.  Wilder's,  in  aid  of  three  German  missionaries  on 
their  way  to  Sierra  Leone. 

The  following  entry  is  of  great  interest.  It  tells  of 
the  first  observance  of  the  Monthly  Concert  in  France, 
which  was  on  Monday,  Feb.  5,  1822.  "At  7  o'clock  Mr. 
S.  V.  S.  Wilder,  Mr.  Hoshea  Wilder,  the  Rev.  J.  Sohiear, 


64  JONAS  KING. 

and  myself,  held  at  my  room  the  Monthly  Concert  of 
Prayer ;  the  first  ever  held  in  this  great  city,  and  proba- 
bly in  France.  Mr.  Chaperon  also  came  in  and  spent  a 
part  of  the  evening  with  us.  Mr.  S.  read  the  9th  chap- 
ter of  Daniel,  and  made  the  first  prayer  in  French.  This 
was  offered  principally  for  France,  and  the  nations  of 
Europe.  After  some  remarks  upon  what  is  doing  in  the 
world  to  build  up  the  Redeemer's  kingdom,  and  what  we 
had  to  expect  from  the  promises  of  God,  the  second 
prayer  was  offered  for  the  missionaries  in  different  parts 
of  the  world.  Then  Mr.  S.  made  some  remarks  in 
French,  and  Mr.  H.  Wilder  offered  the  third  prayer  for 
the  church  generally.  Then  Mr.  S.  V.  S.  Wilder  read  a 
paper  sent  to  him  from  England,  '  Hints  to  Christians 
for  unity  in  a  general  concert  of  prayer,  for  the  outpour- 
ing of  the  Holy  Spirit,'  and  concluded  by  offering  the 
fourth  prayer,  in  which  he  particularly  gave  thanks  for 
what  is  now  doing  to  spread  the  gospel.  It  was  a  de- 
lightful evening,  and  the  Saviour  seemed  to  be  with  us. 
May  the  Lord  bless  this  first  effort  to  set  up  here  the 
Monthly  Concert  of  Prayer ;  and  may  the  time  soon 
arrive  when  all  the  churches  of  Christ  in  the  kingdom 
shall  unite  in  it,  and  when  the  Spirit  shall  be  poured  from 
on  high,  and  these  waste  places  shall  be  glad,  and  this 
moral  desert  blossom  as  the  rose." 


MISSION  TO  PALESTINE  ACCEPTED.        65 


CHAPTER   V. 

MISSION  TO  PALESTINE  ACCEPTED. 

Reasons  for  accepting  Pliny  Fiske's  Invitation — Letters  to  the 
A.  B.  C.  F.  M.  and  to  his  Father  and  Mother — Means  for  Go- 
ing to  the  East  provided — Formation  of  the  Paris  Missionary- 
Society,  and  Appointment  as  their  First  Missionary — Connec- 
tion with  Three  Societies — Farewell  Meetings  for  Prayer. 

These  visits  and  meetings  and  tract  distributions, 
however,  were  but  incidental.  The  study  of  Arabic  had 
been  kept  up  through  them  all,  and  the  great  question  of 
Dr.  King's  life,  that  of  his  becoming  a  missionar}'',  was 
under  consideration.  The  turning-point  of  his  life  had 
come. 

It  greatly  simplifies  any  decision  a  Christian  may  be 
called  upon  to  make  if  first  he  has  made  a  full  consecra- 
tion of  himself  to  Christ.  There  is  reason  to  believe  that 
Jonas  King  had  done  this  ;  for  when  that  letter  from 
Pliny  Fiske,  already  mentioned,  compelled  his  attention  in 
a  most  unexpected  way  to  the  work  of  missions,  he  had 
but  to  ask,  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  V  Not, 
"  Am  I  willing .''  am  I  ready }  can  I  give  up  all  prospect 
of  literary  .distinction  in  America,  and  turn  my  knowl- 
edge of  Arabic  already  acquired  to  immediate  practical 
use  in  instructing  the  ignorant,  far  from  my  friends  and 
native  land  .'*"    There  was  indeed  deep  anxiety  as  to  who 

G* 


66  JONAS  KING. 

should  care  for  his  aged  father  and  mother,  and  a  sense 
of  his  own  incompetency  for  the  great  work  to  which  he 
was  invited  ;  but  there  was  no  hesitation  as  to  obeying 
the  voice  of  the  Lord  whenever  clearly  understood. 

Therefore  his  prayer  was,  "  Make  thy  way  plain  be- 
fore my  face ;"  and  it  is  most  encouraging  to  trace  in 
detail  how  God  heard  and  answered  by  providences  too 
marked  to  be  lightly  set  aside. 

Turn  then  to  the  Journal  of  Sunday,  July  21,  1822. 

"  Went  from  the  Oratoire  with  Mr.  Wilder  to  his 
house,  he  having  told  me  that  he  had  something  of  im- 
portance to  communicate.  After  conversing  with  him 
for  some  time,  he  said,  'I  have  some  very  joyful  and 
some  very  distressing  news  to  tell  you.  Mr.  Parsons 
rests  from  his  labors.'  He  then  gave  me  a  letter  from 
Mr.  Fiske,  which  contained  another  for  me.  I  opened 
it  with  a  heart  agitated  with  joy  and  sorrow  and  anxiety: 
with  joy  that  my  beloved  brother  had  reached  another 
and  brighter  world  than  this ;  with  sorrow,  because  an- 
other faithful  missionary  of  the  cross  was  taken  from  his 
labors,  and  because  I  had  lost  a  friend,  a  brother  in 
Christ ;  with  anxiety,  because  it  had  been  proposed  to 
me  by  Mr.  Wilder  that,  if  Mr.  Parsons  should  be  removed 
by  death  (we  had  heard  of  his  sickness),  I  should  take 
his  place  for  three  or  four  years.  In  this  letter  Mr. 
Fiske  expressed  a  wish  that,  if  I  could,  I  would  join  him. 
After  a  few  moments  I  begged  leave  of  Mr.  Wilder  that 
I  might  retire  to  the  room  where  he  and  I  had  often 
bowed  together  before  the  throne  of  grace.  I  there  fell 
down  on  my  knees  and  spread  my  letter  before  the  Lord, 


MJSSION  TO  PALESTINE  ACCEPTED.        Cj 

and  besought  him  to  sanctify  to  me  this  dispensation  of 
his  providence  ;  next,  that  he  would  direct  me  in  the  path 
of  duty,  feeling  and  confessing  that  I  was  not  worthy  to 
have  so  great  an  honor  as  to  go  to  that  place  where  our 
Lord  suffered,  and  there  proclaim  his  gospel.  I  then  in 
a  solemn  manner  besought  the  great  Head  of  the  church 
to  grant,  if  it  was  his  will  that  a  poor  worm  of  the  dust 
should  go  and  proclaim  his  precious  word  to  dying  souls 
of  Judea,  he  would  incline  the  heart  of  Mr.  Wilder  to 
give  me  that  counsel  and  make  some  offer  of  aid,  which 
would  be  absolutely  necessary  in  order  to  enable  me  to 
go.  I  then  went  out  and  sat  down  by  Mr.  Wilder  near 
his  desk.  He  immediately  addressed  me  to  the  following 
effect:  'Since  it  has  pleased  Him  who  governs  all  things 
to  throw  you  in  my  way,  so  that  I  should  be  acquainted 
with  you ;  since  we  have  spent  so  many  pleasant  hours 
together  in  prayer  and  in  conversation  ;  since  it  has  been 
proposed  by  me,  I  know  not  why,  that  you  should  take 
Mr.  Parsons'  place  should  he  be  called  out  of  the  world ; 
and  since  also  it  has  pleased  God  to  send  this  letter  to 
you  through  my  hands,  I  therefore  offer,  if  you  will  go 
and  join  Mr.  Fiske  for  three  years,  to  give  you  a  hun- 
dred dollars  a  year ;  and  furthermore,  I  will  do  what  I 
had  offered  to  do  when  you  were,  to  human  appearance, 
on  the  borders  of  the  grave,  give  your  honored  parents 
fifty  dollars  a  year  for  three  years  to  aid  them  during 
your  absence.'  After  my  prayer,  and  after  hearing  this, 
I  could  not  but  reply  that  I  had  reason  to  believe  that  it 
would  be  my  duty  to  accept  his  offer  and  to  leave  all, 
father,  mother,  sister,  friends,  and  country,  and  go  up  to 


68  yONAS  KING. 

Jerusalem,  '  not  knowing  the  things  which  should  befall 
me  there.' " 

It  was  then  made  a  question  how  I  could  procure  the 
remaining  four  hundred  dollars,  which  Mr.  Fisk  said 
would  be  necessary.  After  two  or  three  plans  had  been 
suggested,  I  mentioned  writing  to  Mr.  Thomas  Wadding- 
ton  of  St.  Remy.  Mr.  Wilder  immediately  approved  of 
this,  and  advised  me  to  write  also  to  Mr.  Louis  Mertens 
of  Brussels,  Claude  Cromlin  and  Wm.  H.  Nolthenius  of 
Amsterdam,  and  John  Venning  of  St.  Petersburg." 

The  correspondence  that  followed  shows  the  spirit 
that  inspired  all  concerned.  Dr.  King,  in  the  beginning 
of  each  letter,  before  explaining  the  object  he  had  in 
view,  asked  the  friend  to  whom  he  was  writing  to  look 
to  God  for  guidance  before  proceeding  farther;  and  then 
goes  on  to  say,  "  Nearly  three  years  ago  the  American 
Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions  sent  out 
two  eminently  pious  young  men  (Messrs.  Fisk  and  Par- 
sons) for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  missionary  station 

in  Judea They  were  men  whose  names  were  known 

and  beloved  in  all  the  American  churches.  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  being  for  many  years  intimately  acquainted 
with  them.  But  it  has  pleased  Him  who  makes  darkness 
his  pavilion  to  call  the  friends  of  Zion  in  America  to 
mourn  the  loss  of  my  dearly  beloved  Brother  Parsons, 
who  is  now  gone,  as  we  confidently  believe,  to  join  those 
who,  eighteen  hundred  years  ago,  labored  in  the  same 
field  and  in  the  same  glorious  cause.  Brother  Fisk  is 
now  left  alone.  He  has  written  to  me  to  join  him,  if  I 
can,  for  two  or  three  years,  and  at  the  same  time  states 


MISSION  TO  PALESTINE  ACCEPTED.        69 

that  he  thinks  it  doubtful  whether  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M. 
would  be  willing  to  employ  me  for  so  short  a  time  (as 
they  generally  wish  to  employ  missionaries  for  life),  and 
especially  as  they  are  at  this  moment  somewhat  embar- 
rassed in  regard  to  funds,  and  are  also  fitting  out  a  sec- 
ond mission  to  the  Sandwich  Islands.  He  says  my  ex- 
penses will  not  exceed  five  hundred  dollars  a  year. 

"The  office  which  I  hold  as  Professor  of  Oriental 
Languages  in  a  college  in  New  England  forbids  that  I 
should  engage  in  a  mission  for  life.  Besides,  duty  de- 
mands that  I  should  return  to  America  that  I  may  teach 
others  who  are  destined  to  missions  in  the  East,  for  which 
I  should  be  much  better  qualified  could  I  spend  two  or 
three  years  in  the  Holy  Land," 

Dr.  King  then  writes  of  what  Mr.  S.  V,  S.  Wilder 
offered  to  do,  and  that  if  four  other  Christian  friends 
were  led  to  give  the  same  amount  for  one  year,  and  as 
the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  with  Mr.  Wilder,  would  probably  sup- 
ply what  would  be  necessary  for  the  remaining  two  years, 
he  should  feel  it  an  indication  that  it  was  the  will  of  God 
he  should  go  to  Palestine.  He  ought  to  go  in  Septem- 
ber, that  being  the  proper  time  of  the  year  to  embark, 
and  this  would  not  give  him  time  to  hear  from  the  Amer- 
ican Board.  Also  he  adds,  "  If  it  be  not  the  will  of  Him 
who  suffered  in  Judea  that  I  should  go  thither,  I  hope 
you  will  not  contribute  a  single  sou  to  aid  me  in  this 
mission.  If  it  be  his  will,  I  am  confident  he  will  incline 
your  heart  to  do  it.     I  leave  the  whole  in  his  hands." 

In  answer,  Mr.  Louis  Mertens  wrote,  offering  five 
hundred  francs,  saying,  "I  received  your  kind  and  joy- 


70  yONAS  KING. 

inspiring  letter.  My  heart,  or  the  voice  in  my  heart,  im- 
mediately answered,  '  Yes.'  "  Mr.  Waddington  returned 
the  same  prompt  answer,  saying,  "Go,  then,  and  may  the 
God  of  Israel  bless  your  journey  to  the  promised  land." 

The  friends  at  Amsterdam  asked  for  further  informa- 
tion in  detail.  Dr.  King  returns  them  a  succinct  account 
of  Messrs.  Fisk  and  Parsons'  work  in  Asia  Minor,  where 
even  the  professors  had  received  Greek  tracts  (extracts 
from  Chrysostom)  with  avidity.  In  the  Holy  Land,  Mr. 
Parsons  had  spent  several  months  in  visiting  the  monas- 
teries, conversing  with  the  priests,  distributing  upwards 
of  three  thousand  tracts,  some  of  which  were  to  pilgrims 
who  lived  more  than  a  thousand  miles  from  Jerusalem. 
These  in  every  instance  were  received  with  gratitude.  In 
order  to  prepare  more  tracts  in  different  languages  to 
distribute,  also  on  account  of  commotions  between  the 
Greeks  and  Turks,  Mr.  Parsons  returned  to  Mr.  Fisk  at 
Smyrna.  There,  in  September  or  October,  he  was  taken 
sick  of  a  fever.  From  this,  however,  he  recovered,  and 
intended  to  be  in  Jerusalem  before  the  Passover,  in  order 
again  to  distribute  tracts  among  the  pilgrims ;  but  it 
pleased  the  great  Head  of  the  church  to  send  for  him  to 
go  to  the  New  Jerusalem.  He  died  at  Alexandria,  Feb., 
1822.  Mr.  Fisk,  was  now  at  Malta,  expecting  soon  to 
go  to  Egypt.  Mr.  Wilder,  at  the  request  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board,  had  lately  ordered  to  be  cast  in  Paris  a  font 
of  Greek  types  expressly  for  the  Palestine  mission.  This 
would  be  ready  for  Dr.  King  to  take  with  him. 

This  report,  when  brought  before  the  Dutch  Mission- 
ary Society,  proved  satisfactory,. and  it  agreed  to  furnish 


MISSION  TO  PALESTINE  ACCEP2ED.        71 

the  remaining  thousand  francs  necessary.  Dr.  King,  in 
returning  most  grateful  thanks  to  all  these  friends,  asks 
most  earnestly  for  remembrance  in  their  prayers.  In  his 
final  answer  of  acceptance  to  Rev.  Pliny  Fisk,  he  refers 
to  a  parting  scene  with  him  and  Mr.  Parsons'  and  a  Mr. 
Bascom,  in  an  upper  room  at  Rev.  Dr.  Porter's,  Farming- 
ton,  Conn. ;  when,  after  prayer  together,  Mr.  Parsons 
came,  and  in  a  most  affectionate  manner  said,  "  I  shall 
expect  that  in  three  years  from  this  time  you  will  make 
up  your  mind  to  come  to  Palestine." 

Thus  the  matter  was  now  settled,  but  this  "only 
son  "  has  still  a  trying  duty  to  perform,  that  of  writing 
to  his  aged  father  and  mother  in  America.  In  our  day, 
when  to  go  around  the  world  is  but  a  fashionable  tour,  it 
is  difficult  to  reahze  how,  in  1822,  Palestine  was  indeed 
as  the  "  ends  of  the  earth  ;"  and  to  go  there,  like  taking 
a  leap  into  the  past. 

To  his  father,  after  many  words  of  respect  and  affec- 
tion, he  writes  in  part,  as  follows  :  "  I  recollect  you  told 
me,  when  I  was  leaving  college,  that  your  heart  had  been 
much  tried  in  reflecting  that  I  might  perhaps  view  it  my 
duty  to  go  on  a  foreign  mission  ;  that  you  thought  it 
would  be  the  greatest  trial  of  your  life  to  lose  the  only 
prop  of  your  infirm  and  declining  years  ;  but  that  you 
had  said  within  yourself,  '  Did  God  so  love  the  world  that 
he  gave  his  only  Son  to  redeem  it,  and  shall  I  be  unwill- 
ing that  my  only  son  should  go  and  proclaim  salvation  to 
a  dying  world,  through  my  Lord  and  Saviour .-'  No,  as 
much  as  I  love  you,  as  much  as  I  feel  the  need  of  your 
aid  to  comfort  me  the  few  remaining  years  I  have  to 


72  yONAS  KING. 

spend  here,  I  say,  "  Go,  my  son,  if  you  think  it  best. 
God  has  thus  far  taken  care  of  me.  He  will  no  doubt 
give  me  in  future  what  is  best  for  me,  and  with  this  I 
ought  to  be  contented."  '  "  Then,  telling  his  father  what 
his  new  plsns  were,  he  writes  :  "  Indulge  not  one  anxious 
thought  for  your  son.  I  am  in  the  hands  of  Him  who 
took  me  from  the  '  sheepcote,  from  following  the  sheep,' 
and  placed  me  in  the  ministry ;  who  has  brought  me 
safely  along  through  the  sea  and  the  wilderness,  and  who 
now,  by  the  indications  of  His  providence,  bids  me  enter 
the  'promised  land.'  So  clear  to  me  are  these  indica- 
tions, that  I  think  I  should  go,  were  I  sure  that  my 
earthly  course  would  there  be  finished. 

"And  in  what  part  of  the  globe  would  you  be  more 
willing  that  your  son  should  breathe  out  his  soul,  than 
in  that  land  where  my  Saviour  suffered  and  died  to  re- 
deem it.-*  —  that  land,  whence  so  many  prophets  and 
holy  men  of  old  took  their  flights  to  glory.''  —  that 
land  which  has  heard  the  songs  of  angels,  and  to  which 
the  eye  of  all  heaven  has  been  directed.''  —  that  land, 
where  the  glory  of  the  Most  High  was  once  visible,  and 
which  has  been  the  scene  of  his  wondrous  works  among 
men  ? 

Dr.  King  tells  his  father  of  the  friend  who  had  prom- 
ised him  to  be  a  son  to  his  aged  parents  in  America ; 
and  how  the  money  was  to  be  sent  to  them  through  Gen. 
Longley.  Rev.  Wm.  A.  Hallock,  Secretary  of  the  Amer- 
ican Tract  Society,  in  his  tract  "The  Only  Son,"  gives 
an  account  of  how  the  above  promise  was  redeemed. 
See  Chapter  XXIV. 


MISSION  TO  PALESTINE  ACCEPTED.       73 

The  letter  to  Dr.  King's  mother  is  of  equally  tender 
interest.  He  reminds  her  of  her  unparalleled  devotion 
to  him  in  order  that  he  might  acquire  an  education  ; 
speaks  of  his  probable  safety  in  Egypt,  as  the  governor 
there  was  a  liberal  man  and  gave  protection  to  stran- 
gers ;  and  both  there  and  at  Jerusalem  the  great  Gov- 
ernor of  all  would  take  care  of  his  life,  so  long  as  there 
was  anything  for  her  son  to  do.  Also,  that  he  yet  hoped 
to  have  a  home  in  America,  where  his  parents  could  be 
near  him. 

Dr.  King  wrote  in  full  also  to  the  American  Board,  ex- 
plaining respectfully  how,  the  means  for  one  year  being 
provided,  he  was  taking  the  responsibility,  by  advice  of 
Christian  friends  in  Europe,  of  taking  up  Mr.  Parsons' 
work;  looking  confidently  to  their  endorsement  of  this 
venture,  and  to  their  furnishing  his  support  for  the  sec- 
ond and  third  years  proposed. 

Friday,  Sept.  6,  1822,  was  the  birthday  of  the  "  Paris 
Missionary  Society."  "  Dined  at  Paris,  in  company 
with  the  Rev.  Daniel  Wilson,  from  London  (afterwards 
Bishop  of  Calcutta).  In  the  evening  attended  a  meeting 
at  Mr.  Wilder's,  for  the  organization  of  the  Paris  Mis- 
sionary Society.  Mr.  Wilder  proposed  that  the  society 
should  grant  me  some  aid,  and  employ  me  as  their  first 
missionary,  to  go  out  under  their  direction  for  the  pres- 
ent year.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Wilson,  after  an  animated 
speech,  offered  to  contribute,  expressly  for  this  object, 
one  hundred  francs.  Another  gentleman  said  he  would 
give  fifty  ;  another  twenty ;  several  ten.  The  society  at 
once  voted  five  hundred  francs." 


74  JONAS  KING. 

Thus  this  young  missionary  became  connected  more 
or  less  directly  with  three  societies,  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M., 
the  Dutch  Missionary  Society,  and  that  of  Paris,  besides 
having  the  advantage  of  personal  interest  felt  in  him  by 
many  English  Christians.  There  was  an  important  ob- 
ject gained  by  this  Christian  alliance.  Missions  were 
then  a  "new  departure."  Regular  reports  from  Dr. 
King  were  required  by  each  society.  These  were  print- 
ed ;  so  that  this  special  missionary  information  was  soon 
very  extensively  circulated.  In  this  way  too,  Dr.  King 
became  better  known  in  Europe  than  any  other  Ameri- 
can missionary. 

The  Bible  Society  of  Paris  gave  several  boxes  of 
Bibles  and  Testaments ;  and  the  Paris  Tract  Society 
about  one  thousand  French  tracts. 

It  now  remained  but  to  secure  suitable  letters  of  in- 
troduction. Here  again  God's  hand  was  plainly  seen. 
The  Asiatic  Society  of  Paris,  of  which  Dr.  King  had 
been  elected  a  member,  while  the  Due  d'Orleans,  after- 
wards Louis  Philippe,  was  President,  gave  letters  to 
consuls  at  Malta,  Corfu,  Alepp6,  Beyrout,  and  Egypt. 
To  this  society  he  was  to  make  regular  literary  contribu- 
tions, to  be  published  in  its  "Journal."  Sir  Charles 
Stuart,  then  British  ambassador  at  the  Court  of  France, 
provided  a  passport  into  the  Turkish  dominions,  with  pri- 
vate letters  to  friends  in  the  East.  One  of  the  professors 
of  the  "  Ecole  Royale,"  gave  him  an  introduction  to  one 
of  the  sheikhs  in  Syria,  with  whom  he  was  well  acquaint- 
ed ;  also  other  letters,  one  to  a  bishop.  Through  Miss 
Mary  Elliott,  a  letter  to  Lady  Hester  Stanhope  (a  niece 


MISSION  TO  PALESTINE  ACCEPTED.        75 

of  William  Pitt),  who  had  for  a  long  time  resided  on  Mt. 
Lebanon,  and  acquired  great  influence  there,  was  offered 
and  obtained  from  William  Wilberforce,  who  thought  it 
would  be  of  no  use,  as  she  refused  to  receive  English- 
men, but  still  she  might  be  willing  to  see  an  American. 
General  Macaulay  also  (father  of  the  historian).  Sir 
Henry  Lushington,  Baron  de  Stael,  and  others,  gave 
letters,  and  offered  aid. 

Thus,  in  ways  truly  providential,  was  this  once  New 
England  farmer  lad  thoroughly  furnished  unto  the  good 
work  before  him. 

Dr.  King  had  encouragement  in  the  example  of  Bu- 
chanan, who  sailed  for  India  when  at  the  same  age  as 
he — which  was  the  age  when  Martyn  and  Brainerd  had 
entered  into  glory — and  the  same  at  which  our  Lord  en- 
tered on  his  public  ministry.  He  gave  himself  much 
unto  prayer,  and  so  was  made  "  strong  in  the  Lord,  and 
in  the  power  of  his  might."  During  the  last  few  weeks 
before  leaving  France,  frequent  record  is  made  of  sea- 
sons of  prayer  at  Mr.  Wilder' s,  in  Paris,  or  in  the  garden 
at  Nanterre.  Sunday  eve,  Sept.  22,  1822,  was  an  espe- 
cially affecting  and  interesting  season.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Wilder,  Dr.  Spring  of  New  York,  and  Dr.  King,  celebra- 
ted together  the  Lord's  Supper.  "  The  time,  the  place, 
the  occasion,  the  little  company  so  dear  to  his  heart," 
Dr.  King  always  remembered  with  peculiar  emotion. 
On  Sunday,  the  29th,  he  preached  a  farewell  sermon 
to  a  large  audience  in  the  Oratoire.  Books,  and  tracts, 
and  the  "  font  of  type,"  had  been  sent  on  beforehand  to 
Marseilles.     The  last  night  in  Paris  came.     The  evening 


76  JONAS  KING. 

was  spent  In  prayer.  One  after  another,  Mr.  Wadding- 
ton,  Mrs.  Wilder,  Dr.  King,  left  the  room,  the  latter 
not  until  2  a.  m.,  but  his  friend  Mr.  Wilder  remained 
all  night,  looking  unto  God.  In  the  morning  he  accom- 
panied his  missionary  friend  to  the  diligence  for  Mar- 
seilles. There,  after  reading  together  from  John  14, 
they  parted,  commending  each  other  unto  God. 


FHANCE  AND  THE  MEDITERRANEAN.      77 


CHAPTER    VI. 

THROUGH  FRANCE  AND  THE  MEDITERRA^ 

NEAN. 

Distribution  of  Tracts  and  Preaching  on  the  Journey  through 
France — Nismes— Malta — Discussion  on  Missionary  Topics 
with  Rev.  PHny  Fisk  and  Others. 

"  Why,  on  parting  with  your  friend  at  Paris,  did  you 
point  your  hand  towards  heaven  .''"  asked  of  Dr.  King  a 
gentleman  in  the  same  compartment  of  the  dihgence 
when  a  few  miles  only  on  their  way.  This  gave  oppor- 
tunity, in  literally  the  first  stage  of  his  missionary  life, 
for  Dr.  King  to  preach  Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified — 
in  this  case,  as  it  proved  to  be,  to  an  avowed  skeptic,  but 
.  one  who  yet,  after  the  conversation  held,  actually  helped 
with  much  respect  in  the  distribution  of  tracts  in  the 
little  village  of  Essonne.  This  incident  typified  the  whole 
character  of  the  journey.  At  Fontainebleau,  where  the 
pen  with  which  the  Emperor  Napoleon  signed  the  act  of 
abdication  was  even  then  on  exhibition,  there  was  some 
danger  our  missionary  would  be  arrested  by  the  gens 
d'armes  as  a  disturber  of  the  peace,  the  crowd,  after 
receiving  the  tracts,  loudly  wishing  him  a  safe  journey 
and  every  blessing.  At  Nemours  the  same  scene  was 
repeated.  The  conducteur  ordered  the  people  away,  as 
he  could  not  drive  on  for  them,  they  asking  earnestly  for 

1* 


78  yONAS  KING. 

more  of  the  books.  A  lady  of  apparently  high  respecta- 
bility living  near,  sent  a  servant  for  a  tract,  saying  she 
would  use  it  in  prayer  night  and  morning. 

At  Fontenay,  where  a  bridge  and  house  remained 
from  the  time  of  Julius  Cassar,  Dr.  King  took  special 
pleasure  in  giving  one  of  these  messages  of  peace  to  a 
military  officer.  Also,  after  a  woman  with  cross  and 
beads,  asking  for  charity,  had  said  she  prayed  to  all  the 
saints,  in  answer  to  the  question  which  of  them  she  ad- 
dressed, he  said  it  was  "  very  strange  that  none  of  these 
would  hear  her  and  give  her  the  few  sous  she  wanted," 
which  made  all  the  bystanders  laugh.  However,  Dr. 
King  did  give  her  a  trifle,  urging  her  to  pray  to  God 
alone.  At  St.  Pierre  one  of  his  fellow-passengers,  whom 
a  woman  had  asked  to  get  a  tract  for  her,  said,  "  You 
have  converted  everybody  since  we  left  Paris."  At  Ro- 
anne  the  conducteur  helped  in  the  giving  away  of  tracts, 
driving  off  just  in  time  to  escape  arrest,  as  two  priests 
were  hastening  to  make  complaint.  On  going  up  the 
steep  hill  of  Fourvieres,  tracts  were  received  by  some  of 
the  sisters  belonging  to  a  convent  near.  From  this 
mountain  the  city  of  Lyons,  of  a  hundred  and  twenty 
thousand  souls,  appears  as  a  little  village.  ThougL.s 
connected  with  early  Roman  conquest,  and  the  blood  of 
the  martyrs  shed  there,  crowded  the  traveller's  mind,  yet 
he  felt  that,  as  an  ambassador  to  Jerusalem  from  the 
King  of  kings,  he  was  a  man  more  honored  than  Caesar 
or  Hannibal.  In  the  cathedral  he  saw  a  bull  of  the  pope, 
recently  put  up,  saying  that  "  St.  Peter  had  changed  the 
indulgences  ;  that  they  were  now  to  be  had  in  full  every 


FRANCE  AND  THE  MEDITERRANEAN      79 

clay,  both  for  the  Hving  and  the  dead,  by  coming  to  this 
church,  and  at  the  sound  of  the  bell  praying  for  the 
church,  the  state,  the  city,  and  the  diocese,"  The  church 
of  St.  Irenaeus  he  approached  as  indeed  a  sacred  place ; 
for  here  hundreds,  perhaps  thousands,  of  martyrs  had 
been  slain.  In  the  middle  of  it  was  a  deep  well  into 
which  their  blood  had  run.  The  bones  were  piled  up 
behind  a  grating  to  the  height  of  fifteen  or  twenty  feet. 
These  bones  may  not  all  have  been  those  of  martyrs. 
Irenaeus  suffered  martyrdom  June  28,  a.  d.  202.  In  this 
church  Dr.  King,  in  a  formal  manner,  addressed  the  peo- 
ple crowding  round  on  the  nature  of  true  faith  and  vital 
piety  as  not  consisting  in  forms.  Pothinus  and  Blandina 
also  suffered  in  the  prison  here.  The  holes  into  which 
they  were  crowded  before  execution  yet  remain.  Dr. 
King  could  not  help  joining  in  the  prayer,  recorded  Rev- 
6:10.  In  Lyons,  while  waiting  at  night  for  the  stage  for 
Nismes,  Dr.  King  was  struck  with  the  tempt;.ations  to 
which  the  traveller  was  exposed  there,  the  same  of  which 
Solomon  gave  warning.  Yet  even  here  to  the  most  de- 
graded he  preached  the  gospel,  and  was  heard  with 
attention. 

At  Tain,  where  was  an  ancient  altar,  Dr.  King  felt  as 
if  he  would  have  to  record  "  a  day  lost,"  for  he  had  not 
spoken  to  any  one  on  the  subject  nearest  his  heart ;  but 
towards  night  "a  respectable-looking  gentleman,  who  ap- 
peared quite  intelligent,  got  into  the  stage  with  us.  Some 
question  was  soon  proposed  which  made  it  necessary  for 
me  to  vindicate  the  authority  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures. 
The  gentleman  at  once  demanded  if  I  believed  in  the 


8o  yONAS  KING. 

passage  of  the  Israelites  through  the  Red  Sea,  the  twelve 
plagues  of  Egypt,  etc.  I  replied  that  I  did  firmly  believe 
in  ten.  At  this  all  in  the  stage  burst  out  into  a  loud 
laugh.  I  told  them  they  might  laugh  if  they  pleased  ; 
that  did  not  do  away  with  the  fact  that  the  Scriptures 
were  true  and  given  by  inspiration  of  God ;  that  I  had 
read  their  Voltaire  and  their  Jean  Jaques  Rousseau  and 
our  own  infidel  writers,  and  that  I  was  ready  to  prove  to 
them  what  I  affirmed  ;  that  I  did  not  wish  them  to  be- 
lieve blindly ;  that  I  only  demanded  that  they  should 
hold  to  maxims  generally  received.  I  then  went  on  to 
show  them  that  if  it  were  not  beneath  God  to  create  a 
world  consisting  of  many  little  things,  it  was  not  beneath 
him  to  take  some  care  of  it ;  that  he  that  made  their 
minds  had  access  to  them  and  could  make  communica- 
tions to  them,  as  certainly  as  we  could  communicate  with 
words ;  that  he  who  held  the  heavens  and  the  earth  in 
his  hands  could  arrest  the  course  of  nature,  and  might 
be  expected  to  do  so  if  any  great  object  were  to  be 
attained  by  it ;  but  that  they  had  commenced  in  the 
wrong  place  ;  they  were  trying  to  ascend  a  mountain  on 
the  perpendicular  side ;  that  is,  to  look  at  the  miracles  ; 
that  I  would  lead  them  round  the  other  side  of  the  moun- 
tain that  was  easier  of  ascent ;  that  is,  show  them,  by 
what  passed  within  themselves  and  what  they  saw  in 
others,  that  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  were  true,  that 
its  precepts  bore  upon  them  the  stamp  of  divinity,  and 
that  after  they  should  see  this  they  would  easily  believe 
in  miracles.  I  then  showed  them  that  their  hearts  were 
naturally  alienated  from  God  ;  that  they  knew  it  and  felt 


FRANCE  AND  THE  MEDITERRANEAN      8i 

it,  if  they  would  only  compare  their  thoughts  and  feel- 
ings with  what  they  acknowledged  of  God  from  the  works 
of  nature ;  that  from  the  very  nature  of  things  their  souls 
could  not  be  happy  after  leaving  their  bodies  and  all 
means  of  sensual  gratification  had  ceased,  without  a  ren- 
ovation, a  change  of  heart,  of  feeling;  that  if  ever  they 
had  tried  to  reform  their  lives  in  the  least  respect  they 
had  found  it  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  without  aid  from 
without  themselves  ;  that  if  all  men  followed  the  pre- 
cepts of  the  gospel,  this  would  be  a  happy  world ;  that  it 
was  by  leaving  these  precepts,  and  adhering  to  forms 
and  ceremonies  and  superstitious  rites,  or  by  running 
into  infidelity,  that  they  as  a  nation  had  drawn  down 
upon  their  heads  the  judgments  of  the  Most  High ;  and 
that,  if  they  did  not  repent,  other  vials  of  wrath  were 
ready  to  be  poured  out  upon  them.  Thus  I  spent  about 
half  an  hour  in  reasoning,  in  making  appeals  to  their 
consciences,  and  in  setting  forth  at  last  the  beauty,  the 
simplicity,  and  the  sublimity  of  the  Bible,  in  comparison 
with  which  all  their  boasted  poetry  sunk  into  insignifi- 
cance ;  and  that  Voltaire,  Rousseau,  and  all  their  infidel 
writers,  when  put  by  the  side  of  David,  Job,  and  Isaiah, 
looked  like  mere  pigmies  ;  that  the  only  reason  why  they 
rejected  the  Bible  was  because  they  did  not  love  its 
truths. 

"  When  I  had  finished,  four  out  of  the  five  promised 
to  send  to  Paris  and  purchase  each  a  Bible.  The  gen- 
tleman before  mentioned  then  asked  me  if  I  knew  a  Mr. 
Wilder,  a  merchant  of  Paris,  with  whom  he  was  acquaint- 
ed, and  who  often  talked  to  him  as  I  did.     From  this 


82  yONAS  KING. 

moment  I  was  treated  with  the  utmost  respect  and  po- 
liteness." 

At  Nismes  it  is  strange  to  read  of  a  Sunday-school 
attended  by  about  seventy  women  from  fifteen  to  thirty 
years  of  age.  In  1815  some  houses  there  had  been  razed 
to  the  ground  by  some  Catholics  while  persecuting  thie 
Protestants,  seventy  of  these  being  massacred  that  year, 
some,  like  our  Lord,  being  betrayed  by  a  kiss.  The  Sab- 
bath Dr.  King  stopped  at  Nismes  he  passed  an  amphi- 
theatre where  thousands  were  assembled  to  see  a  bull- 
fight. 

The  ruins  at  Nismes  are  of  great  interest  on  account 
of  their  antiquity  and  remarkable  preservation.  From 
one  of  the  altars,  where  once  victims  were  sacrificed  to 
Diana,  Dr.  King  discoursed  of  the  Lamb  offered  once 
for  all. 

Rev.  Mr.  Cook  called  on  Dr.  King  on  his  arrival  at 
Nismes,  and  they  had  prayer  together  in  the  hotel. 
Baron  Castelnau  invited  him  to  a  Bible  society  meeting ; 
also  a  social  missionary  reunion  of  about  thirty  ladies 
and  gentlemen  was  held.  At  that  meeting,  after  Dr. 
King  had  been  formally  presented  and  asked  to  speak, 
he  insisted  that  prayer  should  first  be  offered.  The  Prot- 
estant ministers  had  before  been  consulted  with  regard 
to  this,  and  had  deemed  it  imprudent,  as  spies  might  be 
present,  but  it  was  finally  concluded  to  ask  a  short  bless- 
ing. Then  followed  statements  from  Dr.  King  and  some 
discussion,  there  being  at  least  one  pastor  present  op- 
posed to  foreign  missions.  After  some  time  it  was  pro- 
posed that  a  subscription  should  be  opened,  and  a  society 


i 


FRANCE  AND  THE  MEDITERRANEAN.      83 

organized  auxiliary  to  that  of  Paris.  When  the  vote  was 
called  almost  every  hand  was  raised.  Some  of  the  ladies 
lifted  both  hands.  The  subscription-paper  was  then  laid 
on  the  table,  and  three  hundred  and  four  francs  at  once 
subscribed. 

'  "  This  was  as  interesting  a  scene  as  I  ever  witnessed. 
So  much  joy  seemed  to  pervade  this  little  assembly.  I 
also  proposed  to  them  to  observe  the  Monthly  Concert 
of  Prayer,  to  which  all  seemed  to  assent  with  one  heart. 
To  the  three  hundred  and  four  francs  mentioned  was 
added  the  donation  of  a  poor  woman,  seventy-five  years 
old,  of  seventy  francs,  which  was  her  whole  living.  Hav- 
ing heard  of  the  missionary  society,  she  observed,  •  I  am 
going  to  die.  I  have  neither  parents  nor  children.  I 
will  give  this  money  to  spread  the  gospel  of  my  Saviour 
before  whom  I  am  about  to  appear.'  This  interested  my 
heart  very  much,  and  I  determined  to  go  and  call  on  her 
immediately,  which  I  did  the  next  day.  She  is  a  poor 
widow,  and  has  always  labored  hard,  and  by  the  strictest 
economy  has  amassed  the  sum  above  mentioned  for  the 
purpose  of  paying  the  rent  of  the  house  which  she  had 
hired  ;  but  as  the  gentleman  who  owned  the  house  is  a 
pious,  benevolent  man,  he  forgave  her  the  debt,  and  told 
her  to  make  what  use  she  pleased  of  the  little  sum  she 
had  gained  ;  and  it  gave  him  the  highest  pleasure  to 
hear  her  say,  *  I  will  give  it  to  the  Missionary  Society  at 
Paris!' 

"  Called  on  Madame  Vizie  to  thank  her  for  what  she 
had  done,  and  to  comfort  her  heart  by  telling  her  what 
God  is  doing  at  the  present  day  in  our  world.     She  is 


84  yONAS  KING. 

now  in  the  poorhouse,  and  lives  by  the  charity  of  her 
pious  friends,  who  were  all  much  delighted  on  hearing 
what  she  had  done  for  the  missionary  society.  As  I  en- 
tered the  room  where  she  was,  I  saw  a  little,  old  woman 
standing  near  the  bed  supporting  herself  by  a  staff,  en- 
deavoring to  arrange  some  little  articles  of  clothing,  and 
not  noticing  our  approach.  Her  face  was  finely  wrinkled, 
and  showed  that  age  alone  had  triumphed  over  beauty 
and  a  firm  constitution.  Her  gray  hairs  were  covered 
with  a  neat  white  cap,  and  her  arms  were  bare  and  with- 
ered like  the  husks  of  harvest.  As  my  friend  who  was 
with  me  addressed  himself  to  her,  she  slowly  raised  her 
light  blue  eyes,  which  seemed  to  me  to  bespeak  an  age 
not  more  than  fifty-five  or  sixty. 

"  Asking  her  if  she  put  all  her  trust  for  salvation  in 
Jesus  Christ,  she  instantly  replied,  'To  whom  else  shall 
I  go  .-*  He  has  the  words  of  eternal  life.'  As  I  began 
to  speak  of  the  donation  she  had  made,  she  beckoned  me 
to  speak  in  a  low  tone  of  voice,  as  there  might  be  spies 
present,  who  would  make  a  bad  use  of  what  they 
might  hear.  At  this  I  was  surprised,  but  lowering  my 
voice,  told  her  that  what  she  had  done  should  be  told  in 
France  and  England  and  America,  as  a  memorial  of  her, 
like  the  woman  who  broke  the  alabaster-box  of  ointment 
to  anoint  the  feet  of  Jesus.  At  this  the  tears  came  in  her 
eyes,  and  lifting  up  her  withered  hands  she  clasped  them, 
and  devoutly  raising  her  eyes  towards  heaven,  exclaimed, 
'  I  know  my  unworthiness.  I  am  nothing  but  dust  and 
ashes.'  On  asking  her  if  she  feared  to  die,  she  once  more 
clasped  her  hands,  and  said  with  more  than  usual  energy, 


FRANCE  AND  THE  AIEDITERRANEAN       85 

'  We  must  die  in  order  to  see  God.  It  is  Christ  who 
has  increased  my  faith.  Of  myself  I  am  nothing.'  I  asked 
her  to  give  me  a  little  history  of  her  life,  which  she  did 
in  broken  accents,  and  among  other  things  informed  me 
that  she  was  born  a  Catholic,  but  that  at  the  age  of  thir- 
teen it  had  pleased  God  to  touch  her  heart,  as  she  hoped 
by  Divine  grace,  and  that  since  that  time,  she  had  been 
a  Protestant,  and  had  lived  in  the  constant  hope  of  im- 
mortal glory  beyond  the  tomb.  Giving  her  my  benedic- 
tions, and  receiving  hers,  I  quitted  this  interesting 
spot." 

Another  missionary  meeting  was  held  near  Nismes  ; 
after  which  Rev.  Mr.  Lusignol  and  a  Mr.  Porter  accom- 
panied Dr.  King  to  Marseilles.  Here  there  seemed  a 
wide  opening  for  work  among  seamen,  which  Mr.  Porter 
was  willing  to  undertake,  as  the  Protestants  there  seemed 
to  take  but  little  interest  in  religious  things.  With  Mr. 
Shaler,  American  consul  at  Algiers,  just  then  at  Mar- 
seilles, Dr.  King  had  much  serious  conversation,  and 
was  warned  by  him  against  trying  to  convert  Moham- 
medans, an  Italian  having  just  been  executed  at  Tripoli 
for  attempting  it.  In  conversation  with  some  Catholic 
ladies,  one  of  them  said  she  believed  the  commands  of 
the  church  were  to  be  obeyed,  even  though  contrary  in 
some  respects  to  the  Bible. 

From  Marseilles,  Dr.  King  wrote  to  Amherst  college, 
asking  how  he  should  expend  in  the  East,  for  the  bene- 
fit of  that  institution,  a  hundred  dollars  given  him  for 
that  purpose,  by  Mr.  S.  V.  S.  Wilder ;  and  speaking  of 
the  mission  in  which  he   himself  was  to  engage  as  a 

Jonaa  Eiug.  Q 


86  yONAS  KING. 

"  new  Crusade  to  drive  out  the  infidels  from  the  Holy  Land, 
not  by  human  power,  but  by  the  weapons  of  the  Spirit." 

After  a  storm,  followed  by  a  wind  called  the  Mistral, 
had  detained  the  ship  for  several  days  after  the  one  ap- 
pointed. Dr.  King  sailed  Oct.  29.,  1822.  As  France  was 
fast  receding  from  his  view,  he  wrote  as  follows  :  "  Land 
of  science  and  of  sin,  of  gayety  and  pleasure,  I  bid  thee 
farewell !  The  sun  shines  brightly  on  thy  beautiful 
fields,  the  gales  of  Eden  breathe  gently  on  thy  enchant- 
ing hills,  and  along  the  borders  of  thy  streams,  in  the 
midst  of  vines  and  olives,  lie  scattered  the  cottages  of 
peasants  and  the  mansions  of  nobles.  Thou  hast  within 
thy  bosom  all  that  can  gratify  genius,  and  taste,  or  sense. 
Thou  art  indeed  lovely.  But  thou  hast  drunk  the  blood 
of  martyrs,  and  God  will  visit  thee  !  He  has  visited  thee, 
and  given  thee  blood  to  drink.  He  has  v/ithdrawn  His 
judgments,  but  thou  hast  not  repented  of  thy  sins.  Thou 
hast  here  and  there  a  little  band,  who  fear  God,  and  love 
the  Saviour,  but  most  of  thy  inhabitants  are  given  to  su- 
perstition, or  infidelity,  or  never-ending  scenes  of  gayety 
and  pleasure.  Oh,  when  shall  the  light  of  millennial 
glory  dawn  upon  thee.^*  When  shall  the  spirit  of  Massi- 
lon  rest  upon  thy  priests  and  missionaries,  who  are  erect- 
ing crosses  at  the  corners  of  the  streets  of  all  thy  villages  .<* 
With  fervent  prayers  for  thy  salvation,  I  bid  thee  fare- 
well." 

On  this  voyage  Dr.  King  commenced  the  study  of 
Italian,  thus  beginning  to  acquire  another  of  the  several 
languages  he  was  afterwards  able  to  use  with  so  much 
fluency.     One  of  the  captains  spent  most  of  his  time 


FRANCE  AND  THE  MEDITERRANEAN.      87 

praying  for  the  soul  of  his  father,  which  he  supposed 
was  in  purgatory,  and  said  that  perhaps  some  day  he 
would  have  a  son  who  would  do  as  much  for  him.  The 
other  captain,  an  Italian  Catholic,  laughed  at  this  one  for 
his  devotion.  After  two  or  three  days,  the  voyagers  got 
a  taste  of  the  sirocco,  putting  a  stop  to  every  usual  em- 
ployment. This  continuing  longer  than  usual,  the  cap- 
tain came,  saying,  "  It  is  not  God's  will  Dr.  King  should 
go  to  Palestine,"  yet  asking  him  to  pray  for  a  fair  wind, 
because,  being  a  priest,  God  would  sooner  hear  him  than 
a  sailor. 

When  in  sight  of  Sicily,  Dr.  King  was  reminded  of 
St.  Paul  there,  1800  years  before.  Now  he  himself  was 
here,  on  his  way  to  carry  the  gospel  to  that  place  from 
which  the  apostle  had  brought  it.  The  same  reflections 
filled  his  heart  when  Malta  at  last  came  in  sight,  after  a 
passage  of  fourteen  days. 

Mr.  Fisk  was  still  here,  having  been  detained  by 
sickness  in  Rev.  Mr.  Temple's  family,  with  whom  he 
lodged.  It  can  easily  be  imagined  how  these  mission- 
ary friends  spent  the  first  evening  together,  drawing  still 
nearer  to  each  other  around  the  mercy-seat.  Often 
afterwards  they  talked  to  each  other,  perhaps  too  much, 
of  their  defects  as  missionaries  ;  for  Dr.  King  writes 
bitter  things  against  himself,  yet  adds,  "  So  long  as  I 
look  at  my  own  vileness,  I  am  persuaded  that  I  shall 
never  attain  much  joy  or  peace  in  believing.  If  ever  I 
have  any,  it  is  when  I  look  away  from  myself  towards 
Christ.  I  think  I  have  erred,  and  that  many  Christians 
have  erred  on  this  point.     God  did  not  say  to  the  dark- 


88  yONAS  KING. 

ness,  '  Darkness,  go  away,'  but '  Let  there  be  light,'  and 
the  darkness  instantly  fled  away  as  a  matter  of  course. 
So  with  us  ;  we  may  look  at  our  own  hearts,  and  dwell 
upon  our  vileness,  and  try  to  chase  away  sin  and  make 
ourselves  better,  and  all  to  little  or  no  purpose.  But  the 
moment  we  turn  away  from  ourselves,  and  look  at  Jesus 
Christ,  the  soul  feels  itself  transformed,  quickened,  in- 
vigorated, and  rejoices  with  joy  unspeakable.  I  feel 
more  and  more,  that  the  best  means  of  growing  in  grace 
is  to  look  at  Christ,  and  that  the  first  thing  to  which  a 
missionary  should  point  a  Jew,  a  Mohammedan,  a  pagan, 
or  any  sinner  whatever,  is  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  every 
minister  should  preach  Christ  continually.  This  will 
not  indeed  give  the  world  a  very  high  idea  of  our  wisdom 
or  talents.  We  may  appear  simple  and  foolish,  but  God 
will  be  glorified,  and  our  preaching  will  have  effect,  and 
souls  will  be  saved.  Jesus  Christ  is  all  and  in  all,  and  it 
pleases  God  '  by  the  foolishness  of  preaching  to  save 
them  that  believe.'  "  Again,  when  sick,  and  thinking 
how  his  constitution  from  infancy  had  been  such  as  to 
need  much  care.  Dr.  King  writes  :  "  Silence,  thou  sinful 
body  of  mine,  which  would  have  ease  and  attention,  and 
the  kindness  of  friends,  and  would  let  the  Jew  and  the 
Mohammedan  and  the  pagan  perish  !  Why  dost  thou 
so  often  shrink  and  tremble  at  the  thought  of  perils  and 
hardships,  of  persecutions  and  death  .''  O  God,  grant  me 
more  of  thy  grace.  Saviour  of  sinners,  thou  knowcst 
that  I  would  not  go  back  if  I  could.  If  thou  wilt  grant 
me  thy  presence,  then  come  life,  come  death,  come  what 
will,  I  shall  be  happy." 


FRANCE  AND  THE  MEDITERRANEAN.      89 

Rev.  Mr.  Jowett,  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society 
of  England,  was  in  Malta  at  this  time,  also  the  Rev.  Jo- 
seph Wolff,  the  converted  Jew.  An  audience  of  about 
seventy  to  a  hundred  usually  attended  the  Sunday  ser- 
vices. On  one  occasion  the  friends  celebrated  the 
Lord's  Supper,  a  time  of  special  interest,  because  Chris- 
tians from  seven  different  nations  were  present. 

The  missionaries,  while  together,  held  prolonged 
friendly  discussions,  on  points  connected  with  the  special 
work  of  each.  Rev.  Joseph  Wolff  asked  how  far  he 
"  should  conform  to  Jewish  customs,  such  as  wearing  a 
beard,  and  not  eating  swine's  flesh,"  or  not  "  lodging 
with  Armenians,  whom  the  Jews  considered  descendants 
of  Amalek,  whose  name  was  to  be  blotted  out."  The 
conclusion  was  for  Mr.  Wolff  to  conform  in  things  non- 
essential, but  not  to  give  in  to  prejudices  against  Amalek. 

Mr.  Wolff  mentioned  a  fact  confirming  the  truth 
of  the  New  Testament,  and  not  perhaps  generally 
known.  "  In  the  Talmud  of  Babylon,  which  was  com- 
piled fifty  years  after  Christ,  the  four  gospels  are  men- 
tioned under  the  name  of  Evangelion — Mattheus,  Mor- 
decai  (which  is  Mark),  Lukas  and  Johannen.  This  text 
is  also  quoted :  '  Whosoever  shall  smite  thee  on  the  one 
cheek,  turn  the  other  also,'  and  is  said  to  have  been 
adopted  as  a  practice  by  the  disciples  of  Jesus.  It  is 
also  said  in  the  Baba  Rama  (one  of  the  books  of  this 
Talmud),  that  Jacob,  one  of  the  disciples  of  Jesus,  cured 
deadly  sick  persons  by  the  name  of  Jesus." 

Other  subjects  of  importance  were  talked  over  by  the 
little   band,   such   as  whether   almsgiving  in  the  East 

8* 


90  yONAS  KING. 

might  be  connected  with  preaching  to  the  poor.  Answer 
in  short :  "  Relieve  distress  as  far  as  possible.  Preach  to 
one's  servants  and  household,  as  Christ  did  to  his  disci- 
ples, in  a  way  that  others  would  also  have  an  opportunity 
to  hear.  Endeavor  to  form  institutions  for  the  poor  and 
blind."  Another  question  related  to  preaching  to  Mus- 
sulmans at  the  risk  of  life.  Mr.  Jowett  advised,  '•  Spend 
a  considerable  time  (five  years,  or  perhaps  on  the  spot 
three  years)  in  learning  the  language,  customs,  and  prej- 
udices of  the  people,  before  attempting  publicly  to  com- 
bat their  errors ;  after  which  time  it  is  a  positive  duty 
to  gird  ourselves  with  primitive  courage  and  zeal,  and 
openly  combat  Mohammedanism."  Mr.  Fisk  thought 
it  "perfectly  consistent  with  Christian  principles,  and 
expedient,  to  talk  about  our  mission,  and  feel  as  if  it  were 
for  Jews,  Greeks,  and  Armenians,  and  not  for  Mussul- 
mans, quoting  this  passage,  '  When  ye  are  persecuted  in 
one  city,  flee  ye  to  another,'  and  saying  the  Mohamme- 
dans do  persecute,  and  we  must  wait  till  God  opens  the 
way  ;  that  should  we  attempt  to  preach  to  iJiem,  we 
should  in  all  probability  lose  our  lives,  or  at  least  be  ex- 
pelled from  the  country,  and  the  mission  would  be  stop- 
ped. '  Preach,'  said  he,  '  among  the  Christians,  and  rC' 
vive  Christianity,  and  let  Turks  see  what  it  is.  Ask 
them  about  their  religion,  and  tell  them  about  ours ; 
give  them  the  Bible,  but  not  with  the  avowed  object  of 
converting  them.'  Others  were  of  the  same  opinion, 
that  there  would  be  little  danger  among  Arabs,  but  that 
among  Turks  we  must  be  cautious.  We  need  not  tell 
them  that  they  were  in  error,  but  show  them  the  light. 


FRANCE  AND  THE  MEDITERRANEAN.      91 

God  protected  Henry  Martyn  when  the  Mohammedans 
talked  of  cutting  out  his  tongue.  We  must  go  without 
dependence  upon  ourselves,  but  be  mighty  in  Christ." 

Dr.  King  adds :  "  This  discussion  was  to  me  most 
impressive  and  solemn.  I  felt  as  though  my  own  life 
was  involved  in  it.  I  know  not  whether  I  have  grace 
sufficient  to  carry  me  forward.  But  I  have  opened  my 
mouth  to  the  Lord,  and  cannot  go  back.  I  must  gird  up 
the  loins  of  my  mind,  prepared  to  go  forward  to  meet 
with  persecution  and  death  !  This  is  a  serious  business, 
and  I  feel  my  utter  weakness  of  myself.  I  can  only  cast 
myself  upon  the  Saviour,  and  beg  of  him  all  that  strength 
and  faith  and  love  and  courage  which  I  need." 

A  call  of  some  interest  was  made  by  the  missionaries 
upon  the  Chevalier  de  Greisches,  the  only  knight  of  the 
Order  of  St.  John  remaining  there.  "  He  appeared  like 
a  withered  stalk  in  the  field  after  harvest."  Thus  passed 
away  "  one  of  the  most  illustrious  Orders  of  men  that 
perhaps  ever  existed,  if  we  look  at  their  military  prowess." 
In  the  church  of  St.  John,  also  in  a  convent  of  Francis- 
can monks,  Dr.  King  spoke  boldly  against  the  worship 
of  images.  One  priest  admitted  that  it  was  forbidden  in 
the  Old  Testament,  but  not  in  the  New.  He  was  re- 
minded of  the  text,  "  Little  children,  keep  yourselves 
from  idols."  Entering  the  outer  door  of  another  con- 
vent, and  seeing  several  nuns  who  quietly  retired,  ex- 
cept one,  who  turned  her  face  to  the  wall.  Dr.  King, 
with  something  of  the  humor  of  Mark  Twain,  asked  a 
bystander,  "  What  have  these  women  done,  what  crimes 
have  they  committed,  that  they  have  to  be  shut  up  here .-'" 


92  S'OJVAS  KING. 

"  Oh,"  was  the  answer,  "  they  are  not  in  prison.  They 
pay  i,ooo  or  1,200  scudi  in  order  to  be  permitted  to  come 
here." 

While  at  Malta,  in  a  packet  of  letters  forwarded  from 
Paris,  came  a  welcome  offer  from  the  Netherlands  Bible 
Society,  to  furnish  Dr.  King  with  as  many  copies  of  the 
Scriptures  as  he  might  wish. 

Friday,  Jan.  3,  1823,  Dr.  King,  with  Messrs.  Fisk 
and  Wolff,  left  the  island  of  Malta,  receiving  substantial 
tokens  of  the  best  wishes  of  Messrs.  Jowett  and  Temple. 

While  now  again  at  sea,  he  wrote  these  lines : 

Tossing,  rolling  on  the  ocean,  when  the  winds  and  waves  are  high, 
I  '11  not  fear  their  wild  commotion,  Jesus  Christ  my  Lord  is  nigh ; 
At  his  bidding  't  was  I  ventured  to  come  down  into  the  sea, 
He  will  bring  me  to  the  haven  where  my  spirit  longs  to  be. 

Earth  is  troubled  like  the  ocean,  man  is  tossed  from  wave  to  wave, 
Finds  no  calm,  no  place  of  resting,  till  he  finds  it  in  the  grave. 
At  thy  bidding,  Lord,  I  '11  venture  upon  death's  dark,  boisterous  sea, 
Thou  wilt  bring  me  to  the  haven  where  my  spirit  longs  to  be. 


EGYPT.  93 

CHAPTER  VII. 

EGYPT. 

Labors  Among  Jews  and  Roman-catholics — Preaching  on  the  Top 
of  the  Great  Pyramid — Cairo — Thebes — Palace  of  Pasha — 
Jewish  Wedding — Traces  of  Work. 

The  port  of  Alexandria  was  reached  January  lo, 
being  Friday,  the  day  of  Mussulman  worship.  Flags 
accordingly  were  hoisted  on  twenty  or  thirty  Turkish 
ships-of-war  then  in  the  harbor.  Before  landing,  Dr. 
King  asked  the  captain  to  call  the  crew  together,  "  that 
thanks  might  be  returned  to  almighty  God  for  his  pro- 
tection during  the  voyage."  The  mate  offered  to  buy  an 
English  Bible.  The  captain  afterwards  came  to  hear  Dr. 
King  preach  at  the  British  Consulate,  and  also  had  reli- 
gious services  again  on  his  own  vessel.  He  expressed 
the  "  new  conviction  he  now  had  of  the  truth  of  the  Bible 
and  of  Jesus  as  the  food  of  the  soul." 

Board  was  obtained  by  the  missionaries  in  the  family 
of  a  Jew,  some  member  of  which  was  overheard  by  Mr- 
Fisk   to  say  "their  lodgers  were  probably  conjurers." 

Descriptions  of  scenes  in  Alexandria  agree  with  those 
of  more  recent  date. 

One  spot  of  sacred  interest  could  not  be  forgotten — 
the  grave  of  Parsons.  Upon  the  slab  which  covered  it, 
level  with  the  pavement,  Dr.  King  with  his  two  friends 
kneeled  with  uncovered  heads,  feeling  as  if  he  were  in- 
deed "baptized  for  the  dead."     After  prayer  Mr.    Fisk 


94  yONAS  KING. 

addressed  him,  saying,  "  Brother  King,  I  welcome  you 
with  all  my  heart  to  the  place  rendered  vacant  by  my 
brother  Parsons'  death." 

And  Parsons'  work  was  immediately  taken  up  by  his 
successor,  in  season  and  out  of  season.  Just  now  it  was 
especially  among  the  Jews,  in  company  with  Mr.  Wolff.  , 
The  two  missionaries  would  sometimes  seat  themselves 
cross-legged  on  the  divan,  according  to  Eastern  custom, 
and  as  the  Jews  came  in  would  begin  talking  first  of  Old 
Testament  facts,  in  believing  which  all  were  agreed ;  and 
thus  securing  attention,  would  go  on  to  speak  of  the  Mes- 
siah as  already  come.  The  conversation  was  usually  in 
Italian.  When  a  Hebrew  word  was  used  the  Jews  seem- 
ed much  pleased.  On  one  occasion  a  woman  called  out 
angrily  to  the  most  intelligent  Jew  present,  "  Thou  curs- 
ed, why  do  you  not  answer  him  ?"  Some  of  the  Jews 
avowed  themselves  skeptics,  and  proposed  the  same  ques- 
tions as  other  worshippers  of  human  reason  elsewhere  do. 
Four  rabbis  from  Galilee,  when  spoken  to  of  the  Mes- 
siah, answered,  "  My  lord,  we  are  come  from  a  distant 
land,  and  at  sea  we  were  sick  wit"h  great  sickness,  and 
therefore  our  mind  is  a  little  confused,  and  we  cannot 
therefore  speak  to-day  words  of  wisdom.  But  we  will 
return  unto  you  and  open  our  mouth  with  wisdom,  and 
speak  about  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  he  and  blessed  be 
his  name,  and  you  will  be  astonished  with  great  aston- 
ishment." Thus  it  may  be  seen  that  there  is  such  a 
thing  as  true  pharisaical  succession. 

Visits  were  paid  in   Alexandria  to  Roman-catholics 
also.      With  the  superior  of  a  Francisan  convent  Dr. 


-      EGYPT.  95 

King  had  in  some  way  before  become  acquainted.  Call- 
ing to  see  him,  Dr.  King  says,  "  Two  of  the  monks  met 
us  at  the  door  and  said  that  he  had  gone  out.  I  made 
some  little  conversation,  and  they  invited  us  into  their 
room.  'Do  you  devote  yourselves,'  said  I,  'continually 
to  prayer  and  fasting  T  '  Yes,  we  pray  to  God  the  Fa- 
ther, Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  and  the  Virgin  and  the  saints,' 
*  Ah,'  said  I,  '  to  the  Virgin  and  the  saints  }  This  is  a 
thing  that  I  have  never  seen  in  the  Bible.  We  are  com- 
manded to  pray  to  God  and  to  Christ,  but  I  have  no- 
where seen  that  we  are  commanded  to  pray  to  saints.' 
Quite  a  discussion  followed,  in  the  course  of  which  the 
curate  talked  very  loudly  against  the  English,  who,  he 
said,  were  all  excommunicated,  were  without  a  priest- 
hood, were  all  going  to  the  house  of  the  devil,  and  would 
be  damned.  All  that  was  said  showed  that  these  monks 
believed  that  the  Word  of  God,  without  note  and  com- 
ment, was  pernicious  and  destructive.  The  curate  actu- 
ally behaved  like  a  madman,  saying  again,  '  We  are  the 
true  church.  We  are  illuminated  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  I 
can  teach  you,  and  not  you  me ;'  then  stamping  on  the 
floor  with  all  his  might,  '  When  men  go  about  vomiting 
poison  I  would  crush  them  under  my  feet.'  The  monks 
who  stood  by  seemed  a  little  ashamed. 

"  It  may  be  thought  rash  and  imprudent  by  some  to 
address  the  Roman-catholics  with  so  much  plainness  as 
I  did  the  curate,  but  I  know  not  what  else  to  do.  They 
have  perverted  the  Word  of  God  and  taken  away  the  key 
of  knowledge  from  the  people,  and  introduced  into  the 
church  as  real  an  idolatry  as  the  worship  of  VenuS  or  of 


96  yONAS  KING. 

Jupiter  Ammon.  They  say  they  do  not  worship  the  im- 
ages. Nor  did  the  enlightened  heathen  worship  images, 
except  as  representatives  of  some  spirit,  some  overruling 
power,  some  great  first  cause." 

Let  no  one  think  an  acute  mind,  thoroughly  trained 
and  well-informed,  was  thrown  away  when  called  to  meet 
the  varieties  of  error  into  which  the  Oriental  churches 
have  lapsed.  There  were  at  this  time  one  hundred  Cop- 
tic convents  in  Alexandria,  one  of  them  claiming  to  have 
been  founded  by  St.  Mark.  By  the  superior  of  one  of 
them  Dr.  King  was  excommunicated,  yet  succeeded  in 
selling  a  hundred  Bibles  and  giving  seventy  away. 

Mr.  Gliddon,  so  well  known  as  an  Egyptian  scholar, 
showed  the  missionaries  much  Christian  hospitality,  and 
his  son  accompanied  them  up  the  Nile. 

Friday,  January  17,  appears  the  follov/ing  entry: 
"  Mr.  Fisk  and  myself  sold  to-day,  by  way  of  exchange, 
four  New  Testaments  for  fifteen  Egyptian  gods.  This 
seems  to  be  a  new  kind  of  traffic.  I  would  gladly  buy 
all  the  gods  of  the  heathen  in  the  same  manner." 

The  next  Monday  they  left  Alexandria  for  Cairo  on 
board  a  large  sailboat,  called  a  maash.  Soon  a  violent 
wind  almost  upset  the  boat,  yet  the  Arabs  in  charge  re- 
fused to  furl  the  sails  except  on  actual  compulsion.  The 
story  of  the  whole  voyage  is  but  as  an  early  edition  of 
"  Boat-Life  on  the  Nile."  In  every  place,  wherever  pos- 
sible, religious  conversation  was  held  with  the  Copts  and 
Mussulmans,  and  Bibles  and  tracts  were  sold  and  distrib- 
uted. Fishermen's  huts,  built  of  reeds,  reminded  the 
travellers  of  Moses.    Near  Cairo  immense  heaps  of  wheat. 


EGYPT. 


97 


supposed  at  first  to  be  sand,  and  farther  on  buffaloes 
standing  in  water  up  to  their  heads  then  coming  up  out 
of  the  river,  also  took  them  back  to  the  times  of  Joseph  and 
Pharaoh.  While  stopping  at  a  small  village,  an  eclipse 
of  the  moon  filled  all  the  Mussulmans  there  with  terror. 
"  We  could  hear  distinctly  the  cries  and  screams  and 
bowlings  of  men,  women,  and  children,  and  their  pray- 
ers :  '  O  God  and  his  prophet !  O  God  and  his  prophet ! 
Most  merciful  God!  O  beneficent  God!  O  Lord,  O 
Lord  !  Waa,  waa,  waa !  O  God,  have  mercy  upon  us  ! 
O  Mohammed  !' "  Such  sounds  filled  the  air  while  the 
eclipse  lasted.  The  people  did  not  seem  to  understand 
how  those  who  believed  on  the  Lord  Jesus  were  not 
afraid  as  well  as  they. 

Sometimes  when  the  missionaries  went  on  shore  the 
captain  of  the  maash  would  come,  saying  there  was  dan- 
ger ;  that  if  anything  happened  to  them  he  should  be 
answerable  for  it  with  his  head. 

Arrived  at  Cairo,  the  missionaries  called  immediately 
on  Henry  Salt,  Esq.,  consul-general,  having  letters  to 
him  from  Sir  Charles  Stuart.  In  his  courtyard,  among 
other  mummies,  they  saw  one  of  a  woman  strangely  de- 
scribed as  "  very  beautiful."  Mr.  Salt  himself  was  deeply 
interested  in  missions,  and  more  than  once  gave  warning 
when  arrest  threatened  ;  for  the  Mussulmans  often,  with 
great  excitement,  accused  these  strangers  of  introducing 
infidelity.  In  encouraging  contrast  to  this,  Mr.  Warton, 
a  military  man  in  the  service  of  the  king  of  Persia,  spoke 
of  the  missionaries  in  India  in  the  highest  terms  of  re- 
spect; said  his  first  serious  impressions  were  made  by 


98  yONAS  KING. 

their  preaching ;  that  it  was  a  current  report  among  the 
Mussulmans  in  Persia  that  their  king  once  observed  in 
one  of  his  assemblies,  that  "  if  ten  such  men  as  Henry 
Martyn  were  to  come  into  Persia,  his  kingdom  would 
soon  become  entirely  Christian." 

Dr.  King  preached  here,  not  only  at  the  English  con- 
sulate, but  on  the  top  of  the  largest  pyramid,  reading 
there  2  Peter,  third  chapter,  and  expounding  it  to  a  num- 
ber of  persons  who  were  up  there  at  the  same  time. 
Thus  this  monument,  recording,  as  is  now  conjectured, 
mathematical  and  scientific,  as  well  as  historical,  facts, 
was  used  as  a  noble  pulpit  for  a  grander  purpose. 

The  Koraite  Jews  at  Cairo  were  peculiar  in  many 
ways,  having  also  long  and  very  large  noses,  which  easily 
distinguished  them.  They  reject  the  Talmud,  receive 
only  the  written  word  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  derive 
their  name  from  the  Hebrew  word  N~p  (kara),  to  read. 
One  of  their  rabbis  gave  Dr.  King  his  benediction  about 
as  follows  :  "  O  Lord,  bless  with  a  blessing  Jonas  King, 
the  son  of  King,  and  give  him  of  the  dew  of  heaven  above 
and  of  the  fatness  of  the  earth,  and  permit  him  to  enter 
Jerusalem." 

The  degradation  and  wickedness  of  the  people  here 
and  elsewhere  in  Egypt  were  beyond  description,  remind- 
ing one,  both  in  its  political  aspect  and  as  regards  its  cit- 
izens, of  the  prophecy,  "  It  shall  be  the  basest  of  king- 
doms."    Ezek.  29  :  15. 

In  Cairo  were  sold  or  given  away  256  Bibles. 

Leaving  this  city  on  their  onward  journey,  although 
great  excitement  followed  everywhere  the  arrival  of  the 


EGYPT. 


99 


missionaries,  they  went  unarmed,  trusting  in  the  Lord. 
The  Coptic  patriarch  at  Cairo  had  given  them  a  letter  of 
general  introduction  to  the  convents,  and  Mr.  Salt  a  fir- 
man, yet  their  situation  was  often  a  critical  one.  Duty 
to  go  on,  however,  seemed  plain,  for  sometimes  the  Copts 
would  follow  on  from  a  distance  to  buy  a  New  Testament. 
"  That  people,  in  the  midst  of  so  much  poverty  and  op- 
pression and  misery,  are  so  earnest  to  piircJiasc  the  Scrip- 
tures, shows  that  they  desire  them,  and  that  the  ob- 
jections often  brought  by  some  of  the  Franks  in  this 
country  against  the  distribution  of  the  Word  of  God  are 
futile."  Occasionally  a  Coptic  school  was  visited,  and  a 
premium  promised  to  such  children  as  should  make  the 
greatest  improvement  in  Coptic  and  Arabic,  to  be  given 
the  next  year,  as  at  Beeadeeah,  where  Dr.  King  writes: 
"  The  first  thing  I  saw  as  I  entered  the  village  was  a  boy 
sitting  on  the  ground  with  a  book  in  his  hand  reading. 
This  was  new  to  me  in  Egypt,  but  I  was  immediately 
still  more  surprised  to  find  a  man  sitting  at  the  door  of  a 
kind  of  mud-hovel,  with  a  long  reed  or  cane  in  his  hand, 
which  he  was  swinging  over  the  heads  of  twenty-six  chil- 
dren, all  of  whom  were  engaged  in  writing  on  tin-plates. 
The  hovel  in  which  they  were  was  built  of  mud-bricks, 
and  partly  covered  with  the  same  and  partly  with  reeds 
or  cornstalks.  It  had  only  one  door,  and  this  so  small 
and  low  that  I  was  obliged  to  get  down  on  my  knees  to 
look  in.  I  endeavored  to  encourage  both  master  and 
children." 

Calling  upon   the  Governor  at   Siout,  the  travellers 
saw  his  "hand  and  seal"  applied  in  a  decidedly  literal 


loo  yONAS  KING. 

way.  They  had  asked  for  a  passport.  A  writer  (the 
Copts  were  usually  employed  as  such)  wrote  it  in  their 
presence,  and  gave  it  to  the  governor,  who  "  took  from 
the  pen  of  the  writer  a  little  ink  on  his  little  finger,  on 
which  he  rubbed  for  some  time  the  seal  on  his  ring. 
This  seal  he  then  pressed  upon  the  letter  where  the 
name  is  usually  signed.  This  being  done,  the  writer 
took  the  letter  again,  folded  it,  and  delivered  it  to  us." 

Although  schools  have  been  mentioned  above,  so  few 
of  the  people  could  read  and  write  that  it  was  most  diffi- 
cult to  secure  a  competent  instructor,  and  also  to  buy 
any  Coptic  books.  One  bishop,  when  asked  for  them, 
said  he  had  a  "  very  great  number."  This  proved  to  be 
a  library  of  six  or  seven  volumes,  and  an  Arabic  copy  of 
the  Old  Testament  which  he  refused  to  sell  at  any  price. 
This  bishop  invited  the  missionaries  to  dinner,  after  wri- 
ting out  for  them  the  Coptic  alphabet,  which  strange 
characters  are  preserved  in  the  "  Journal,"  with  pronun- 
ciation affixed.  "The  dinner  consisted  of  one  plate  of 
boiled  eggs,  with  a  little  melted  butter,  two  plates  of 
cheese  served  up  in  a  different  manner,  and  one  plate  of 
date  dessert,  and  nineteen  cakes  of  bread.  These  were 
all  placed  in  order  upon  a  pewter  server,  which  was  placed 
upon  a  little  stool  about  one  foot  and  a  half  in  height. 
Around  this  we  gathered,  six  in  number,  and  took  our 
seat  on  the  floor.  Water  was  brought  by  the  servant  for 
us  to  wash  our  right-hand,  as  this  was  to  serve  us  both 
as  knife  and  fork.  After  washing,  the  bishop  took  one 
of  the  cakes  and  made  some  crosses  over  it,  saying  some- 
thinsf  in  a  low  tone  of  voice  which  I  did  not  understand. 


EGYPT.  loi 

Then  he  broke  the  cake  and  began  to  dip  his  hand  in  the 
different  dishes,  inviting  us  to  follow  his  example.  Du- 
ring our  meal,  which  lasted  perhaps  half  an  hour,  the 
conversation  turned  on  various  topics.  We  learned  from 
him  that  the  bishops  and  priests  have  no  fixed  salary 
and  live  by  the  charities  of  the  people ;  that  the  priests 
do  not  generally  marry,  but  that  some  of  them  are  mar- 
ried, and  are  generally  more  esteemed  by  the  people  than 
those  who  are  not  married." 

Afterwards  they  dined  with  a  koumus,  an  ecclesiastic 
between  priest  and  bishop.  "  The  first  room  was  filled 
with  smoke,  and  the  floor  was  entirely  covered  with  dirt, 
and  appeared  like  a  stable.  At  our  approach  the  women 
drew  their  veils  over  their  faces  and  retired  into  an  ad- 
joining room.  In  a  few  moments  we  were  invited  into 
the  parlor  and  seated  on  the  floor.  The  parlor  was  about 
twelve  feet  square,  and  but  a  little  more  decent  than  the 
other  rooms.  Presently  raki  was  ordered.  Of  this  I  did 
not  taste.  The  koumus  drank  very  plentifully.  After 
the  raki,  dinner  was  served.  It  consisted  of  soup,  boiled 
meat,  and  bread.  A  candle  was  stuck  in  one  of  the  loaves 
of  bread  to  give  us  light.  Such  a  scene  I  never  witnessed 
before.  The  koumus  was  a  large,  brawny  man,  with  a 
long  white  beard,  and  looked  filthy  as  the  swine  in  the 
streets.  His  eyes  were  sore,  and  this  rendered  him  still 
more  disgusting.  His  long  bony  fingers  soon  found  their 
way  to  the  bottom  of  the  soup,  and  we  dove  after  him. 
The  boiled  meat  he  tore  in  pieces  and  handed  round  to 
us.  When  his  mouth  was  well  filled  with  bread  and 
meat  and  soup,  he  washed  the  whole  down  with  a  good 


I02  yOJVAS  KING. 

dose  of  raki.  After  dinner  I  bought  a  Coptic  manuscript 
of  him,  and  sold  six  New  Testaments  in  Arabic  and  eight 
of  Genesis.  Made  him  a  present  of  a  copy  of  each,  and 
after  mutual  salutations  he  accompanied  us  down  stairs 
through  the  two  stables  into  the  street  and  even  to  the  en- 
tering in  of  the  village.  Some  of  the  clergymen  in  Amer- 
ica think  their  salary  rather  small,  and  so  it  is  ;  but  there 
is  not  one,  at  least  I  never  saw  one,  who  does  not  live  like 
a  prince  in  comparison  with  most  of  the  Coptic  priests  in 
Egypt." 

Passing  on  up  the  Nile,  the  travellers  meeting  now 
boat-loads  of  black  slaves  for  the  market  at  Cairo,  or  see- 
ing on  the  banks  women  wearing  nose-rings,  or  anon 
some  crocodiles,  or  having  live  scorpions  brought  to 
them  for  inspection,  felt  impelled  to  visit  Thebes.  No 
previous  description  in  detail  had  prepared  them  to  see 
ruins  so  vast  and  impressive,  which  brought,  with  com- 
fort, to  their  minds  the  text,  "They  shall  perish,  but 
thou  remainest."  The  tombs  in  the  Necropolis  had  not 
been  so  utterly  despoiled  as  at  present.  In  one  room 
were  to  be  seen  two  or  three  thousand  little  wooden  gods. 
Dr.  King  describes  mummies  and  statues  with  exceeding 
particularity,  also  the  grottoes  in  a  mountain  on  the  east 
side  of  the  river,  which  were  inhabited  by  Eremites  in 
the  fourth  century,  and  where  perhaps  Antonius  and 
Athanasius  lived,  and  prayed  for  their  persecutors.  The 
views  from  some  of  these  caves  were  of  peculiar  beauty, 
showing  the  good  taste  of  the  hermits  in  their  selection 
of  a  retreat. 

Soon  a  report  having  come  of  a  general  massacre  of 


EGYPT.  103 

the  Franks  at  Constantinople,  which  would  render  life 
unsafe  for  them  in  all  parts  of  the  Turkish  empire,  and 
being  two  hundred  miles  away  from  an  P^ngiish  consul, 
the  missionaries  hurried  on  their  way  back  to  Cairo. 
The  alarm  proved  a  false  one,  but  had  been  none  the  less 
startling. 

At  Cairo  Dr.  King  visited  the  pacha's  palace,  finding 
it  truly  an  abode  of  sinful  luxury ;  but  it  is  amusing  to 
read  the  full  description  of  a  camelopard  in  the  court- 
yard there  as  of  an  animal  almost  unknown.  On  his  way 
to  this  palace  Dr.  King  met  several  young  Arabs  tied 
together,  and  followed  by  five  or  six  hundred  women, 
besides  men  and  childen,  weeping  and  wailing,  and  cry- 
ing, "  My  liver  !  my  liver !"  These  were  young  men 
whom  the  pasha  had  pressed  into  his  service  as  soldiers. 
He  had  agents  who  went  about  in  the  villages,  and  when- 
ever they  saw  a  young  man  capable  of  bearing  arms  they 
took  him  from  his  parents  and  friends  by  force. 

At  Heliopolis,  where  Joseph  found  his  bride,  Dr.  King 
attended  a  Jewish  wedding.  "  At  one  end  of  the  court 
was  a  kind  of  gallery,  in  which  the  bride  was  making 
preparation  for  the  ceremony,  and  in  front  of  which  hung 
strips  of  different  colored  paper,  red,  pale  red,  and  yel- 
low, interspersed  with  gold  leaves.  Occasionally  I  saw 
the  bride  through  the  lattice,  or  wood  network,  which 
was  in  front  of  the  lower  part  of  the  gallery.  This 
brought  to  my  mind  Cant.  2  : 9.  The  bridegroom  was  a 
queer-looking  young  fellow,  and  seemed  hardly  to  know 
what  to  do  with  himself.  At  about  four  o'clock  the  high 
priest,  with  five  rabbis,  came  in  and  took  their  seats,  and 


I04  yONAS  KING. 

the  service  commenced.  The  clerk  and  the  rabbis  re- 
peated in  Hebrew  the  eighteen  blessings  of  the  name  of 
God.  Then  the  high  priest  arose  and  said,  '  Blessed  be 
those  who  dwell  in  Thy  house  ;  they  shall  praise  Thee  for 
ever.'  All  the  people  responded,  '  Blessed  the  people 
whose  God  is  the  Lord.'  After  this  the  evening  prayer 
was  said,  in  which  the  name  of  Jehovah  occurs  eighteen 
times.  Every  time  they  repeated  this  name  the  rabbis 
shook  and  trembled.  After  the  prayer  the  nuptial  torch 
was  lighted.  It  consisted  of  nine  small  wax  candles  tied 
together  at  one  end,  and  when  lighted  formed  a  branch 
of  lights.  This  was  carried  up  into  the  gallery  where  the 
bride  was  waiting,  surrounded  by  married  women  and 
young  damsels.  Boys  below  began  to  beat  on  cymbals, 
and  soon  the  bride  descended,  covered  with  a  long  white 
veil,  preceded  by  three  women  with  cymbals,  one  on  each 
side  holding  her  by  the  arms,  and  followed  by  several 
others,  one  of  whom  nov\^  and  then  uttered  a  terrible 
shriek,  which  I  supposed  was  a  shriek  of  sorrow,  but  I 
was  afterwards  told  it  was  an  expression  of  joy.  Being 
led  to  the  divan,  the  bridegroom  took  his  place  by  her  side 
on  the  left.  Both  continued  standing  while  Rabbi  Mer- 
cado  and  the  people  also  repeated  the  forty-fifth  psalm : 
*  My  heart  is  inditing  a  good  matter,'  etc.  The  rabbi 
then  took  a  cup  of  wine,  and  said,  '  Blessed  art  thou,  O 
Lord  God,  our  God,  King  of  the  world,  who  hast  <:reated 
the  fruits  of  the  vine.'  The  people  responded,  'Blessed 
be  he,  and  blessed  be  his  name.'  Rabbi.  '  Blessed  be 
thou,  O  God,  who  sanctifiest  thy  people  by  wedding  and 
by  marriage.'     People.  '  Blessed   be  he,  and  blessed  be 


EGYPT.  los 

his  name.'  One  of  the  rabbis  then  took  a  ring  and  put 
it  on  the  finger  of  the  bridegroom  and  then  on  that  of 
the  bride,  and  then  gave  it  to  the  bridegroom,  who  put  it 
on  the  forefinger  of  the  bride,  and  said,  *  Verily  art  thou 
espoused  to  me  by  this  ring  according  to  Moses.'  A 
large  camel's-hair  shawl,  called  '  talis,'  was  then  spread 
over  the  newly-married  couple,  and  the  rabbi  twice  gave 
them  wine  to  drink,  saying,  '  Blessed  art  thou,  O  Lord 
our  God,  King  of  the  world,  who  hast  created  all  things 
for  thy  glory,'  and  repeating  many  other  texts,  the  peo- 
ple responding, '  Blessed  be  he,  and  blessed  be  his  name.' 
Then,  after  some  drinking  of  wine  and  all  the  company 
repeating  '  Semeantob  '  (good  sign),  the  nuptial  torch  was 
extinguished,  but  immediately  lighted  again,  and  the 
bride  was  reconducted  to  her  room  by  the  women  to  the 
sound  of  cymbals." 

While  in  Egypt  the  missionaries  had  sold  or  given 
away  900  Bibles  and  3,700  tracts.  God's  word  never  re- 
turns unto  him  void.  In  1866,  Rev.  W.  C.  Roberts,  D.  D., 
of  Elizabeth,  N.  J.,  more  than  once  found  in  Egypt  old 
men,  Christians,  who  well  remembered  Dr.  King's  work 
there,  saying  it  had  been  blessed  to  their  souls. 


io6  JONAS  KING. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

THE  DESERT  AND  JERUSALEM. 

Emir  Bushir — Kindness  of  Mr.  Salt — Jerusalem — Gethsemane — 
Scenes  at  Church  of  Holy  Sepulchre — Deliverance  from  Ar- 
rest— Bethany — Letters  from  Jerusalem — Visits  to  Ramah — 
Jericho  and  the  Dead  Sea. 

By  this  time,  March  29,  1823,  Dr.  King  had  received 
letters  from  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  and  from  other  friends 
in  America,  approving  the  course  he  had  taken. 

Before  leaving  Egypt,  Dr.  King  had  an  interview 
with  the  Emir  Bushir,  prince  of  the  Druses  and  Maron- 
ites  on  Mount  Lebanon,  who  had  been  temporarily  ban- 
ished for  attempting  to  make  Syria  free,  but  was  now 
about  to  return  there.  He  treated  the  Americans  with 
great  kindness,  and  said  he  should  expect  to  see  them  at 
Mount  Lebanon.  His  attendants  had  much  the  appear- 
ance of  New  England  men,  one  of  them  being  almost 
the  fac-siraile  of  Professor  Stuart  of  Andover.  Also  the 
missionaries  saw  Aboul  Hassim,  a  Persian  Sufi,  whose 
business  it  was  to  copy  the  Koran.  His  writing  was 
very  beautiful,  but  it  took  him  two  and  a  half  years  to 
make  a  single  copy.  A  particular  friend  of  his,  Seid 
Ali,  had  helped  Henry  Martyn  to  translate  the  New 
Testament,  and  to  him  Aboul  Hassim  gave  Dr.  King  a 
note  of  introduction.     Mr.  Salt  continued  his  efficient 


i 


THE  DESERT  AND  JERUSALEM.  107 

kindness  to  the  last,  taking  much  pains  to  set  the  mis- 
sionaries properly  on  their  way. 

During  their  last  night  in  Egypt  a  death  occurred  in 
a  house  near  by,  and  the  loud  crying  and  wailing  called 
forcibly  to  mind  scenes  in  this  same  land  long  ago,  just 
before  another  departure  from  it. 

The  first  night  on  their  way,  the  Monthly  Concert 
was  observed  by  the  missionaries,  in  strangely  Oriental 
surroundings — a  caravan,  with  camels  and  asses,  of  which 
there  were,  about  a  hundred,  and  a  noisy,  incongruous 
crowd  of  persons  from  eight  or  ten  nations. 

To  see  barren  sand  far  as  the  eye  can  reach,  varied 
by  appearances,  now  and  then,  of  the  mirage,  was  at  this 
time  not  a  wornout  experience  ;  and  Dr.  King  gives  de- 
tails of  desert-life  with  a  zest  such  as  cannot  be  expect- 
ed from  a  more  recent  traveller.  He  found  it  easy  to 
sympathize  with  the  Israelites  in  their  murmurings  for 
want  of  water,  so  offensive  soon  became  that  carried  in  the 
goatskins.  He  writes,  "  Oh,  that  my  soul  thirsted  for  the 
living  God,  as  it  does  for  the  water-brooks  ;"  yet  some- 
times he  went  singing  on  his  way,  "  Guide  me,  oh,  thou 
great  Jehovah,  pilgrim  through  this  barren  land,"  and 
reading  from  day  to  day  those  parts  of  the  Bible  which 
seemed  almost  reproduced  before  their  eyes. 

Having  passed  the  Isthmus,  then  undivided  by  Les- 
sep's  canal,  and  vexed  on  their  way  by  thieving  Bedouins, 
almost  destitute  of  clothing,  who  would  come  to  sakite 
the  sheikh  of  the  caravan  by  butting  heads  in  true  Oriental 
style,  and  then  insist  on  tribute,  the  travellers  arrived  in 
the  land  of  the  Philistines.     Here  it  was  somethinsr  in- 


io8  yONAS  KING. 

deed  new  to  see  an  actual  shepherdess  with  crook  in 
hand,  with  the  skin  of  a  lamb  over  her  shoulders  as  a 
shawl,  while  women  and  children  near  by  thrashed  out 
barley  on  the  ground  with  long  sticks  ;  then  to  pass  met- 
aphorically through  the  "gates  of  Gaza,"  into  the  public 
khan,  its  courtyard  filled  with  merchandise,  camels, 
horses,  asses,  and  men,  and  where  of  course  little  rest 
could  be  secured.  Here  were  sold  or  given  away  38 
Testaments,  or  copies  of  Genesis  and  the  Psalms,  some 
of  them  to  Mussulmans.  This  distribution  was  contin- 
ued at  Esdud  (Ashdod),  and  a  prayer  is  recorded,  that 
before  the  word  of  God  the  Dagon  of  Mohammedanism 
might  fall,  till  not  even  his  stump  should  be  left. 

At  Yaffa  (Joppa)  the  missionaries  lodged  in  what  is 
called  the  house  of  Simon  the  tanner,  where  upon  the 
housetop  they  had  prayer  together,  and  Dr.  King  writes, 
"  This  is  the  city  to  which  Jonah  fled  from  the  presence 
of  the  Lord  ;  like  him,  may  I,  Jonas,  not  flee,  but  go  and 
'preach  the  preaching'  that  the  Lord  bids  me."  Here 
the  sheikh  was  dismissed,  receiving  besides  the  back- 
sheesh an  Arabic  Testament  and  Psalter,  The  road 
through  the  mountains  of  Judea  proved  to  be  worse  than 
even  the  most  rocky  and  uneven  in  New  England,  and 
was  infested  too  by  robbers. 

"  The  country  continued  nearly  the  same  as  I  have 
described,  till  we  came  within  half  an  hour  of  Jerusalem, 
when  all  at  once  the  Holy  City  opened  on  my  view. 
Thus,  thought  I,  is  it  often  with  the  last  hours  of  the 
Christian.  He  is  obliged  to  pass  over  a  rough  and  wea- 
risome way,  where  he  is  continually  exposed  to  the  at- 


THE  DESERT  AND  JERUSALEM.  109 

tacks  of  enemies,  till  near  the  close  of  life,  when  his  feet 
are  just  about  to  stand  within  the  gates  of  the  New  Je- 
rusalem ;  then  he  is  favored  with  some  bright  visions  of 
the  place  he  is  soon  to  enter.  The  first  I  saw  was  the 
Mount  of  Ohves,  and  supposed  this  to  be  a  part  of  the 
Holy  City ;  but  I  soon  saw  that  Jerusalem  lay  lower 
down,  between  me  and  the  Mount  of  Olives. 

"As  our  Lord  made  his  entrance  into  Jerusalem, 
riding  on  an  ass,  I  alighted  from  mine,  and  went  on  foot. 
My  feelings  seemed  to  revolt  at  the  idea  of  my  entering 
Jerusalem  in  the  same  manner  as  he  did,  who  was  Lord 
of  heaven  and  earth,  and  who  came  thither  to  make 
expiation  for  the  sins  of  the  world." 

The  sacred  places  in  and  about  the  Holy  City  are 
perhaps  best  unvisited,  would  one  retain  in  full  the 
charm  with  which  a  sanctified  imagination  cannot  fail 
to  invest  them.  Dr.  King,  however,  in  his  journal,  gives 
place  to  reflections,  such  as  must  after  all  crowd  upon 
the  mind  and  heart  of  every  true  believer.  The  scenes 
of  four  thousand  years  rushed  upon  him.  Here  God  had 
rendered  his  glory  visible ;  hither  the  tribes  came  up  to 
worship;  here  David  had  tuned  his  harp  to  the  praise  of 
Jehovah.  Here  Jesus,  our  Lord  and  God,  had  poured 
out  his  soul  unto  death,  and  heaven  and  earth  seemed  to 
approach  each  other.  It  was  fitting  that  special  prayer 
should  be  offered,  that  the  name  of  Christ  should  be 
here  honored  and  the  work  of  the  Lord  revived. 

The  missionaries  found  lodgings — Mr.  Wolff  among 
the  Jews,  the  others  in  a  small  Greek  convent  looking 
out  towards  the  Mount  of  Olives.     Dr.  King  writes,  "  I 

Jonas  Kin;.  1 0 


no  yONAS  KING. 

looked  all  around  on  the  Holy  City,  and  could  not  help 
saying  often,  '  Is  it  possible  that  my  feet  stand  within 
thy  gates,  O  Jerusalem  !'  " 

The  next  day  it  was  impossible  to  visit  the  garden  of 
Gethsemane,  for  a  Turkish  woman  had  just  been  mur- 
tlered  near  there,  which  made  it  not  safe  to  go  where 
such  an  excited  crowd  of  Mussulmans  had  collected. 
That  day,  however,  they  sold  twenty  New  Testaments 
while  walking  about  Zion,  noting  sadly  the  changes  there 
since  the  time  when  David  called  it  "  the  joy  of  the 
whole  earth."  The  next  day  being  Sunday,  after  a  sea- 
son of  prayer  with  his  friends,  Dr.  King  was  able  to  go 
to  the  garden  of  sorrow.  Here,  leaving  the  two  guides 
to  sit  under  an  olive-tree,  he  went  under  the  shadow  of 
another  of  those  eight  old  sentinels  of  the  past,  where, 
reading  the  New  Testament  account  of  the  scene  once 
witnessed  there,  he  kneeled  down,  made  confession  of 
sins  and  renewed  his  covenant  with  his  Saviour.  There, 
too,  he  prayed  for  some  of  his  dear  friends  and  their 
children  by  name. 

The  account  Dr.  King  gives  further  of  Jerusalem  in 
detail,  is  of  interest,  but  the  ground  has  now  been  visited 
so  often  that  it  is  the  more  easy  here  to  pass  it  over. 
The  demand  for  Bibles  Vv^as  remarkable ;  thirty  Greeks 
came  for  them  the  day  of  the  missionaries'  arrival. 
Also  the  sheikh  Abou  Ghoosh,  who  had  two  thousand 
Bedouins  under  his  control,  honored  the  missionaries 
with  a  call.  "  We  were  glad  to  form  his  acquaintance, 
and  to  ingratiate  ourselves  a  little  in  his  favor,  though 
we  should  have  preferred  to  have  him  call  another  day. 


THE  DESERT  AND  JERUSALEAI.  m 

As  soon  as  I  was  introduced  to  him,  I  took  him  by  the 
hand  (which  is  contrary  to  Eastern  custom),  and  shook 
it,  and  he  simultaneously  squeezed  mine,  and  shook  it  as 
cordially  as  if  he  had  been  an  old  friend  from  America. 
It  seemed  as  if  done  by  a  kind  of  inspiration.  He  seemed 
much  pleased,  looked  at  me,  and  I  sat  down  close  to  him, 
and  looked  at  him,  and  conversed  with  him.  All  who 
were  present  laughed  when  they  saw  us  shaking  hands. 
He  seemed  friendly,  offered  us  his  services,  and  invited 
us  to  come  and  take  lodgings  at  his  house  whenever  we 
had  occasion  to  pass  by  his  village.  After  we  had  made 
him  a  present  of  a  loaf  of  fine  sugar,  which  we  brought 
from  Malta,  and  two  boxes  of  phosphoric  matches,  with 
which  he  was  highly  pleased,  having  never  seen  any  be- 
fore, he  went  away." 

The  next  day,  when  walking  about  Mount  Zion  again, 
and  "marking  well"  the  desolations  there,  a  Mussulman 
Arab  looked  at  the  missionary  with  all  the  wildness  of  a 
man  possessed  of  a  devil,  and  endeavored  by  the  distor- 
tions of  his  countenance  to  express  the  highest  contempt 
possible.  Many  Mussulmans  had  come  from  Damascus 
and  other  places  to  visit  the  tomb  of  Moses,  and  it  was 
really  dangerous  to  go  among  them.  "  As  we  walked 
along  and  heard  the  wild  noise  and  roar  of  the  mixed 
multitude,  feeling  some  little  fear  with  regard  to  our- 
selves, Mr.  Fisk  repeated  a  verse  from  the  74th  Psalm, 
which,  had  it  been  made  for  the  occasion,  could  not  have 
been  more  appropriate : 

"Where  once  thy  clnirches  prayed  and  sang, 
Thy  foes  profanely  war,  '  etc. 


112  yONAS  KING. 

Dr.  King  had  an  interview  at  some  length  with  Rabbi 
Mendel,  the  chief  priest  at  Jerusalem,  who,  as  might  be 
expected,  said  he  did  not  believe  in  the  great  sacrifice  of 
Jesus  Christ,  but  reciprocated  every  kind  expression 
made  as  to  Israel,  saying,  however,  it  was  not  good  for 
Jews  to  enjoy  so  many  privileges  as  they  had  in  America, 
lest  Jeshurun  should  "wax  fat  and  kick." 

In  three  days  all  the  Arabic  and  Armenian  Bibles 
and  tracts  on  hand  were  disposed  of. 

Dr.  King  soon  found  his  way  to  Bethlehem,  and  was 
met  near  there  by  many  children,  singing,  "  Pilgrims,  go 
in  peace;  pilgrims,  go  in  peace,"  as  they  went  with  him 
into  the  village.  There,  though  he  did  not  intend  too 
much  to  regard  time  and  place,  he  felt  impelled  to  kneel 
in  special  prayer,  not  for  himself  alone,  but  for  the  chil- 
dren of  his  friends  in  Paris  and  the  Netherlands  and 
those  of  his  sister  in  America.  Bethlehem  itself  was  a 
more  rugged  place  than  his  own  native  town,  yet  he 
called  its  fields  "  happy ;  they  had  heard  the  first  news 
of  salvation  ;  within  its  bounds  had  been  born  the  God- 
man,  the  Saviour  of  the  world."  Here  Dr.  King  gath- 
ered a  few  wild-flowers,  which,  sent  to  America,  are  yet 
treasured  up,  mute  witnesses  of  this  visit  paid  to  Bethle- 
hem more  than  fifty  years  ago. 

May  I,  1823,  was  the  anniversary  of  the  Feast  of  the 
Passover,  as  observed  by  Greeks  and  Armenians.  The 
three  friends  celebrated  the  Lord's  Supper  that  same 
evening  in  Dr.  King's  room,  "an  upper  chamber"  in  Je- 
salem.  Few  mo'^lern  Christians  had  then  taken  the 
"Communion"  in  a  place  so  incomparably  full  of   sug- 


THE  DESERT  AND  JERUSALEAL  113 

gestive  interest ;  yet  Dr.  King  adds,  after  an  account 
given,  too  long  to  be  here  transcribed,  "  It  is  not  the 
place  where  we  are  that  will  cause  us  to  have  right  feel- 
ings. A  heart  unsubdued  by  the  grace  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  would  sin  even  before  the  throne  of  God 
and  in  the  midst  of  the  heavenly  host. 

"  In  the  afternoon,  the  doors  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre 
being  opened,  I  went  to  visit  the  place  where  it  is  said 
He  suffered  and  died  and  was  buried,  in  whom  alotie  is 
my  hope  of  freedom  from  sin  and  of  eternal  salvation. 
The  new  Turkish  governor  was  sitting  at  the  door  with 
a  crowd  of  attendants  around  him.  Through  these  we 
made  our  way,  and  by  showing  a  letter  we  had  from  the 
governor  three  days  ago,  were  permitted  to  enter  without 
paying  the  usual  sum  of  twenty-five  piastres  {$,2  63).  I 
immediately  found  myself  ushered  into  a  large  and  splen- 
did church  capable  of  containing,  I  suppose,  six  or  eight 
thousand  persons,  where,  instead  of  solemnity,  I  found 
nothing  but  the  noise  and  bustle  of  pilgrims  who  were 
flocking  in  crowds  here  and  there,  and  among  whom 
Turkish  janizaries  were  walking  to  keep  them  in  order. 
Having  expressed  my  desire  to  see  first  the  place  of  the 
crucifixion,  I  was  led  up  a  flight  of  stone  steps  unto  the 
spot  where,  it  is  said,  the  cross  was  planted.  But  alas ! 
I  searched  in  vain  for  rude  Golgotha,  as  it  had  always 
been  presented  to  my  mind  when  reading  of  our  Saviour's 
sufferings.  Not  the  least  trace  of  nature  was  to  be  seen, 
and  I  felt  disappointed." 

Then  follows  a  description  of  the  whole  interior,  now 
made  familiar  to  the  ordinary  reader.     At  the  sepulchre, 

it* 


114  JONAS  KING. 

also,  the  same  shock  to  one's  feelings  followed,  the  great- 
er, of  course,  because  more  unexpected  than  to  a  visitor 
there  now.  Many  of  the  pilgrims,  women  especially, 
sh.ovved  signs  of  real  grief,  though  in  a  place  too  artificial 
to  resemble  the  tomb  of  Joseph  of  Arimathea.  Yet  here, 
though  surrounded  by  marble  walls  adorned  with  pic- 
tures and  pendant  lamps,  and  though  the  sepulchre  itself 
was  represented  by  a  mere  hollowed-out  slab,  over  which 
a  priest  was  sprinkling  rose-water,  the  missionary  could 
not  refrain  from  kneeling  with  other  pilgrims  present, 
and  praying  for  himself  and  friends  that  they  might  in- 
deed "  be  raised  from  the  death  of  sin  and  walk  with  our 
risen  Saviour  in  newness  of  life."  Returning  to  the 
place  said  to  be  that  of  the  crucifixion,  he  there  asked  of 
God  that  they  "might  all  be  crucified  to  the  world,  and 
their  souls  washed  in  that  blood  which  flowed  on  Cal- 
vary," In  this  petition  his  own  mother  was  especially 
remembered  in  memory  of  the  mother  of  Jesus. 

Saturday  being  the  great  Passover  feast-day  of  the 
Greeks  and  Armenians,  about  four  thousand  of  them 
met  in  the  Church  of  the  Sepulchre.  "  Never  did  I  wit- 
ness such  abominable  scenes  in  the  house  of  God  as  in 
this  place,  which  ought  to  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  most 
solemn  and  sacred  places  on  earth.  Hundreds  of  men 
and  boys  were  dancing  around  the  sepulchre  and  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  church,  making  all  kinds  of  noises 
and  antic  gestures.  Some  almost  without  clothing  were 
running  about  like  madmen.  Sometimes  eight  or  ten 
would  seize  hold  of  one  man  and  carry  him,  head  or  feet 
first,  in  a  tumultuous  manner  around  the  tomb,  singing, 


THE  DESER  T  AND  JER  US  ALE M.  1 1 5 

'  Kyrie,  Eleeson  !  Kyrie,  Eleeson  !'  and  yelling  like  Bac- 
chanalians. Sometimes  one  man  would  stand  erect  on 
the  shoulders  of  another,  and  fifty  or  sixty  would  gather 
around  him,  and  then  all  would  rush  in  procession,  dan- 
cing and  hopping,  and  screaming  out,  'God  is  Sultan  ! 
God  is  Sultan !  God  bless  the  Greek  convents  !  God 
bless  the  Greek  convents !'  In  the  midst  of  them  Turk- 
ish janizaries  with  cat-o'-nine-tails  would  flog  the  pil- 
grims into  order  whenever  they  began  to  quarrel  or  to 
crowd  too  near  any  place  where  they  were  not  permitted 
to  come.  This  continued  for  the  fom  or  five  hours  I 
was  there. 

"I  should  not  have  believed  in  such  a  scene  had 
I  not  witnessed  it  with  my  own  eyes.  We  were  told 
that  if  such  frantic  sports  were  not  permitted  the  holy 
fire  would  not  come  down.  I  say  the  holy  fire ;  for  on 
this  day  at  a  certain  hour  the  Turkish  governor  enters  to 
give  the  command,  and  one  of  the  metropolitan  bishops 
enters  alone  into  the  sepulchre,  and  fire  comes  down  mi- 
raculously, so  the  Greeks  say,  and  begins  to  burn  over 
the  tomb  of  Christ.  From  the  sepulchre  it  is  carried  by 
some  one  to  the  altar,  where  the  bishops  and  priests 
light  their  candles  from  it,  and  from  them  it  is  carried  to 
the  people,  who  all  stand  prepared  with  wax-candles  to 
catch  the  sacred  flame.  As  the  time  set  for  the  fire  to 
come  down  approached  the  noise  increased,  although  the 
men  and  boys  stopped  dancing.  At  length  it  seemed 
like  the  rushing  of  many  waters,  and  all  those  around 
the  sepulchre  pointed  upward.  We  were  now  told  that 
the  holy  fire  had  come  down,  and  that  it  began  to  burn 


ii6  yONAS  KING. 

in  a  lamp  which  hung  near  the  top  of  the  dome  over  the 
sepulchre,  and  we  saw  indeed  a  lamp  burning,  but  whether 
it  had  been  burning  all  the  morning,  or  how  it  had  been 
lio-hted  up  at  this  moment,  we  could  not  tell.  From  this 
time  for  about  half  an  hour  the  Turks  had  enough  to  do 
in  flogging  the  people  into  order.  Finally  came  the 
Turkish  governor,  and  those  who  stood  in  his  way  were 
flogged  out  of  it,  and  then  the  bishops  walked  three 
times  around  the  tomb  bearing  seven  standards  on  which 
were  painted  Christ  on  the  cross,  the  Virgin  Mary,  etc. 
Then  the  head  bishop  of  the  Greeks  entered  the  sepul- 
chre. Soon  a  light  was  brought  to  the  altar,  and  in  five 
minutes  every  man,  woman,  and  child  in  this  immense  con- 
gregation had  blazing  torches  or  candles  in  their  hands, 
which  made  a  very  brilliant  sight.  This  flame  being 
considered  holy,  some  smoked  their  hands  over  it,  then 
rubbed  their  hands  on  their  faces.  Some  held  the  can- 
dle under  their  chins,  then  moved  it  quickly  about  their 
faces.  I  could  not  but  fear  that  some  of  the  hundreds  of 
women  wearing  long  white  robes,  and  some  with  infants 
in  their  arms,  would  be  burned  to  death.  They  say  that 
this  fire  will  not  burn  like  common  fire,  but  Mr.  Fisk 
and  myself  both  found  that  our  fingers  could  not  endure 
it.  Very  soon  some  of  the  people  began  to  extinguish 
their  candles  carefully,  saving  all  the  snuff  and  as  much 
of  the  smoke  as  possible.  Then  commenced  fraternal 
salutations,  such  as  kissing  the  cheek  or  the  forehead  or 
the  hand  of  some  friend.  After  this  the  Greek  bishops 
proceeded  to  the  ordination  of  some  priests,  and  the  Ar- 
menians, Syrians,  and  Copts  formed  a  procession  around 


THE  DESERT  AND  JERUSALEM.  117 

the  tomb.  All  was  tumult  and  confusion  through  the 
whole  church,  and  I  retired,  wearied  with  standing  and 
looking,  and  disgusted  with  such  impious  scenes.  I  felt 
as  though  Jerusalem  was  a  place  cursed  of  God  and  given 
over  to  iniquity." 

Yet  even  now  there  are  some  who  say  the  Greeks 
and  Armenians  need  no  purer  gospel,  no  Protestant  mis- 
sionaries ! 

The  evening  after  seeing  the  desecrations  above  men- 
tioned was  spent  in  special  prayer  for  the  iDoIluted  city, 
also  that  the  messengers  now  come  there  might  be  more 
fully  fitted  for  their  work.  They  sang  together,  "  Lord, 
what  a  wretched  land  is  this  !"  "  Truly  it  is  a  wretched 
land.  The  Jews  hate  the  name  of  Christ,  and  when  you 
mention  it  some  of  them  will  almost  gnash  on  you  with 
their  teeth.  The  Turks  exalt  the  name  of  the  false 
prophet  above  His  most  glorious  name,  and  are  full  of 
hypocrisy  and  iniquity.  The  Greeks  and  Armenians 
profane  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  and  seem  to  know  but 
little  of  the  nature  of  Christianity.  The  Roman-catho- 
lics, who  are  as  bad  as  the  Turks  and  more  intolerant, 
thunder  their  excommunications  against  all  who  receive 
the  word  of  eternal  life. 

"  In  the  morning,  a  little  before  we  went  to  the 
Church  of  the  Sepulchre,  criers  were  sent  by  the  new 
governor  through  the  streets  of  the  city  to  proclaim  aloud 
that  no  Christian  might  wear  anything  of  a  red  color,  not 
even  a  cap  or  a  pair  of  slippers.  This  order  came,  I  was 
told,  in  consequence  of  his  having  demanded  a  tribute  of 
money  from   the   convents,  which   had   not  been   paid. 


1 1 8  yONAS  KING. 

Such  orders  are  frequently  given  by  Turkish  governors 
in  order  to  extort  money  from  the  Christians." 

On  the  next  day,  Sunday,  very  suddenly  a  Turkish 
janizary  cited  the  missionaries  to  appear. before  the  mool- 
lah,  or  judge,  and  on  a  singular  indictment. 

A  Turkish  dervish,  to  whom,  being  poor,  provisions 
had  been  given  on  the  journey,  now  requited  the  kind- 
ness shown,  by  entering  a  claim  that  a  Persian  Manu- 
script, purchased  from  him  by  the  missionaries,  had  not 
been  paid  for.  The  new  governor  of  Jerusalem  when 
appealed  to,  soon  discovered  the  falseness  of  the  accusa- 
tion, and  ordered  the  dervish  to  be  bastinadoed  ;  but  the 
missionaries  interfered,  and  saved  him  from  this  terrible 
punishment,  and  themselves,  praying  for  the  young  and 
noble  governor,  rejoiced  that  what  had  threatened  to  give 
them  much  trouble,  had  rather  "fallen  out  to  the  further- 
ance of  the  gospel." 

The  first  Monthly  Concert  observed  by  Dr.  King  and 
his  friends  in  the  Holy  Land  was  held  on  the  Mount  of 
Olives,  where  our  Lord  first  commissioned  his  disciples 
to  "  go  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature,"  prom- 
ising to  be  with  them  "  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world." 
The  occasion  was  indeed  most  suggestive. 

At  Bethany,  the  evident  antiquity  of  a  building  encour- 
aged the  travellers  to  believe  it  to  be,  as  reported,  the  home 
of  Martha,  Mary,  and  Lazarus.  Flowers  growing  inside 
one  of  the  rooms,  also  branches  from  an  olive-tree  near 
by,  were  gathered  and  sent  to  friends  as  visible  tokens 
of  the  reality  of  a  place  so  often  honored  by  our  Lord. 

While  in  his  lodging  on  Mount  Calvary,  Dr.   King 


THE  DESERT  AND  yERUSALEM.  119 

did  not  forget  his  friends  and  their  children.     The  fol- 
lowing letter  testified  to  the  interest  taken  in  the  latter. 
"Mount  Calvary,  8th  May,  1823. 

"Dear  Little  Children:  I  write  to  you  from  this 
interesting  place,  so  that  when  you  are  able  to  read  what 
I  write,  you  may  know  how  much  I  loved  you ;  and  also 
that  you  may  believe  on  Him  who  is  the  only-begotten 
Son  of  God,  and  who  here  hung  on  the  cross,  and  bowed 
his  head  in  agony,  to  make  expiation  for  my  sins,  and 
3^ours,  and  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world.  Though  you 
are  little  children,  and  innocent  when  compared  with  me, 
still  you  are  sinners,  and  cannot  be  saved,  except  by  the 
precious  blood  of  the  Lamb  of  God,  slain  on  this  spot. 

"A  fev/  days  ago  I  went  to  Bethlehem,  the  place 
where  our  Lord  was  born  and  laid  in  a  manger.  There 
I  kneeled  down  and  prayed  earnestly  for  you,  dear  little 
children,  that  you  might  be  born  again,  and  become  the 
true  and  humble  followers  of  Him  who  was  once  a  babe 
in  Bethlehem,  and  whose  birth  was  ushered  in  by  a  song 
of  angels.  I  visited  the  plain  where  the  angels  sang, 
and  there  I  prayed  for  you.  I  have  remembered  you 
too  on  Zion's  Hill,  on  the  Mount  of  Olives,  and  have 
plead  for  you  in  the  sorrowful  Garden  of  Gethsemane. 

"  Dear  children,  when  you  read  the  story  of  our  Sav- 
iour's sufferings,  you  must  love  him  and  obey  him  and 
keep  his  commandments.  The  world  around  you  is 
wicked,  and  unless  you  love  Jesus  Christ  you  will  be 
led  astray  by  the  world,  and  fall  into  sin  and  lose  your 
souls. 

"  You  must  not  only  love  Jesus  Christ,  but  you  must 


I20  yOI^AS  KING. 

adore  him.  The  angels  adore  him,  and  in  heaven  they 
sing  witli  loud  voice,  '  Worthy  is  the  Lamb,  that  was 
slain,  to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and 
strength,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  blessing;'  and  all 
created  beings  who  are  holy,  joyfully  shout  Amen  to 
this  song.     Rev.  5:11,  12,  13,  14. 

"  If  you  love  and  adore  Jesus  Christ,  you  will  have  in 
your  bosom  such  peace  as  the  world  can  neither  give  nor 
take  away ;  and  when  your  bodies  die,  your  souls  will 
ascend  to  heaven,  where  you  will  never  hunger,  nor 
•  thirst,  nor  suffer  any  pain,  '  For  the  Lamb,  which  is  in 
the  midst  of  the  throne  shall  feed  you,  and  shall  lead  you 
unto  living  fountains  of  water,  and  God  shall  wipe  away 
all  tears  from  your  eyes.' 

"  Dear  children,  I  love  you  and  pray  for  you,  and  I 
hope  you  will  not  forget  your  friends  at  Jerusalem. 

"J.  KING. 

"  P.  S.  I  send  with  this  some  olive-leaves,  which  I 
plucked  with  my  own  hands  on  the  Mount  of  Olives.  I 
have  also  some  little  flowers,  which  I  brought  from  Beth- 
lehem, which  I  cannot  send  in  a  letter,  but  if  God  will,  I 
shall  one  day  bring  them  to  you." 

To  his  father,  he  writes : 

"Jerusalem,  May  18,  1S23. 

"My  Dear  Father  :  Last  night  in  my  sleep,  I  fancied 
I  was  with  you,  and  that  you  began  to  converse  as  you 
used  to  do,  about  Jesus  Christ  and  the  things  of  another 
world.  You  said  that  Jesus  Christ  had  ever  been  to  you 
'  a  S7^re  nail  fastened  into  a  living  tree ;  always  firm. 
That  you  had  taken  him  for  your  guide,  now  these  many 


THE  DESERT  AND  JERUSALEAL  121 

years,  and  had  followed  him  through  a  great  variety  of 
scenes,  and  in  the  midst  of  tempests,  and  that  he  had 
never  failed  you. 

"  Now  this  was  a  dream  of  the  night,  but  I  doubt  not 
you  have  followed  him  these  many  years,  and  ever  found 
him  faithful.  How  happy  are  you  to  have  chosen  such 
a  guide.  He  will  conduct  you  safely  along,  during  your 
weary  pilgrimage  on  earth;  will  comfort  and  support  you 
when  called  to  go  down  into  the  dark  valley  of  the  shad- 
ow of  death,  and  in  eternity  he  will  lead  you  '  unto  living 
fountains  of  water,'  and  all  your  sorrows  and  sighings 
shall  be  finished.  I  doubt  not  that  you  have  followed 
Christ  in  the  regeneration,  and  that  your  inheritance 
with  him  is  sure. 

"  My  dear  father,  can  you  believe  me  when  I  tell  you 
that  I  am  now  in  the  Holy  City,  Jerusalem,  and  have 
my  lodgings  in  a  little  upper  room  on  Calvary,  which 
stands  within  the  walls  of  this  present  city,  about  a 
stone's  cast  from  the  place  where  it  is  said  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  was  crucified  ;  and  that  here  I  am  permitted  to 
preach,  and  to  distribute  that  holy  word,  which  you 
tau2:ht  me  to  read  when  I  was  a  little  child  of  four  vears 
of  age,  and  when  I  thought  Jerusalem  must  be  some- 
where almost  out  of  the  world ! 

"  I  am  within  a  few  minutes'  walk  of  the  place  where 
Abraham  went  to  offer  up  his  son,  his  only  son  Isaac ! 
I  know  it  must  be  painful  to  you  to  part  with  me,  your 
son — your  only  son,  whom  you  used  to  consider  as 
the  only  prop  of  your  declining  years,  and  I  often  weep 
when  I  consider  your  situation.     But  think  of  the  patri- 

Jonas  King.  IX 


122  yONAS  KING. 

arch  Abraham  !     When  the  Lord  bids,  we  must  sacri- 
fice that  which  is  most  dear  to  us." 

Again  to  his  mother,  after  telHng  her  of  his  prayer 
for  her  at  the  church  on  Calvary:  "Do  not  regret,  my 
dear  mother,  that  I  have  come  hither,  but  rather  rejoice. 
Do  you  wish  me  to  have  honor.?  What  higher  honor 
than  to  be  engaged  as  a  herald  of  redeeming  love  ?  Do 
you  wish  me  to  have  riches }  The  riches  of  this  world 
are  but  loss,  when  compared  with  the  excellency  of  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord !  Do  you  wish  me 
to  be  happy .-'  What  higher  happiness  than  to  tread  in 
the  footsteps  of  prophets  and  apostles,  and  to  wander 
over  these  sacred  mountains,  proclaiming  glad  tidings  of 
good  things  to  perishing  souls  .''" 

To  his  nephews  he  writes :  "  Here  on  Calvary,  I 
charge  you  not  to  forget  Him  who  died  to  redeem  you. 
He  is  all  in  all.  He  is  the  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  be- 
ginning and  the  ending — the  Almighty.  Live  near  to 
him,  love  him,  put  your  trust  in  him,  devote  yourselves 
to  him  and  never  be  ashamed  to  be  called  his  disciples." 

One  of  these  nephews,  Daniel  D.  Wheeler,  Esq.,  of 
South  Adams,  Mass.,  brother-in-law  of  General  Plunkett, 
once  Lieutenant  Governor  of  Massachusetts,  has  no  doubt 
often  spoken  of  his  missionary  uncle,  to  children  in  the 
Sabbath-schools,  in  which  he  is  so  much  interested. 

To  Rev.  Dr.  Spring  of  New  York,  Dr.  King  writes  : 
"Jerusalem,  19th  May,  1823.  Oh,  that  you  could  be 
with  me  here  on  Calvary,  where  I  am  writing,  and  hear 
the  roaring  of  the  Turks  from  the  minarets,  and  see  the 
deep  iniquity  with  which  this   Holy  City  is  polluted! 


THE  DESERT  AND  yERUSALEM.  123 

Mine  eyes  run  down  with  tears  at  the  desolations  of 
Zion !  Everything  around  me  seems  blasted  and  wither- 
ed by  the  curse  of  the  Almighty.  Before  this  curse  shall 
be  averted,  there  must  be  offered  up  many  prayers  and 
supplications,  with  strong  crying  and  tears  unto  Him 
who  has  cast  down  from  heaven  to  earth  the  beauty  of 
Israel.  I  never  felt,  so  much  as  I  do  now,  the  impor- 
tance of  praying  that  God  would  glorify  his  great  name 
among  all  nations,  and  cause  the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ  to  be  adored  throughout  all  the  earth.  I  some- 
times pray  that  he  would  arise,  and  shake  terribly  the 
earth,  that  the  people  may  know  that  there  is  a  God  in 
heaven,  and  that  Jesus  Christ  lives,  and  reigns  over  all, 
'  God  blessed  for  ever.' 

"  The  Jews  here  have  generally  all  the  blindness  and 
stubbornness,  and  stiff-neckedness  of  their  fathers.  Some 
of  them  tell  Mr.  Wolff,  that  were  they  in  power  they 
would  calmly  judge  him,  and  put  him  to  death.  The 
Catholics  threaten  with  excommunication  any  one  who 
shall  receive  from  us  the  holy  Scriptures,  and  pronounce 
a  curse  upon  every  one  who  in  any  way  may  aid  us. 
The  Mussulmans  walk  about  in  pride,  and  if  any  one  of 
them  should  leave  his  religion,  certain  death  would  be 
his  portion. 

"  So  strict  are  they  here,  that  I  dare  not  even  pur- 
chase a  Koran,  lest  I  should  involve  myself  in  difficulty. 
Any  native  Christian  who  should  presume  to  purchase 
it  and  read  it  would  instantly  lose  his  life.  The  Greeks 
and  Armenians  have  a  name  that  they  live,  and  that  is 
nearly  all.     They  are,   however,   more  noble  than    the 


124  yONAS  KING. 

other  Christians,  for  they  gladly  receive  the  word  of 
God.  We  have  had  sometimes  thirty  a  day  calling  on 
us  to  purchase  the  holy  Scriptures." 

After  writing  the  above,  however.  Dr.  King  feared  he 
should  be  considered  to  be  like  the  spies  who  brought  up 
an  evil  report  of  this  very  land  long  before ;  and  this  he 
wished  to  avoid,  saying,  "  For  although  we  are  as  grass- 
hoppers in  the  sight  of  this  people,  and  are  indeed  so  in 
our  own  sight,  yet  we  hope  to  be  of  good  courage,  and 
to  go  forward  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord  ;  and  if  he 
delight  in  us,  he  will  surely  give  us  success." 

To  a  friend  in  Paris,  who  had  left  the  Roman-catholic 
church  quite  recently,  and  who  desired  definite  proofs  as 
to  the  authenticity  of  the  Bible,  Dr.  King  wrote: 

"  No  one  can  say  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord,  but  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  i  Cor.  12:3.  When  once  a  soul  is  brought 
by  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  see  and  to  feel 
its  helplessness  and  entire  pollution  by  nature,  then  it 
begins  to  seek  for  aid  from  without  itself,  and  as  it  looks 
at  the  cross,  and  beholds  the  meek  and  lowly  Jesus,  and 
hears  him  saying,  '  Look  unto  me,  and  be  saved,'  it  feels 
that  this  is  just  such  a  Saviour  as  it  needs,  and  ex- 
claims in  sincerity,  '  My  Lord  and  my  God !'  It  then 
finds  evidence  within  itself,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  all 
in  all. 

"  Many  a  soul  has  found  unspeakable  joy  in  believing, 
who  never  read  a  word  of  the  evidences  of  the  truth  of 
Christianity.  Do  you  need  evidence  to  prove  to  you 
that  a  rose  is  fragrant,  that  music  is  delightful,  or  that 
bread  will   satisfy  a  man  famishing  with  hunger.?     No 


THE  DESERT  AND  JERUSALEM.  125 

more  does  a  soul,  convinced  of  sin,  and  quickened  by  the 
lively  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  demand  evidence 
that  Christ  is  precious,  the  one  altogether  lovely,  the 
'  bread  of  life,'  the  fountain  of  joy.  Its  language  then 
is,  not  '  read  Volney,'  nor  '  search  the  writings  of  the 
fathers,'  but  '  oh,  taste  and  see  that  the  Lord  is  good ;' 
'  I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth — I  feel  that  he  is  pre- 
cious to  me,  and  all  those  things  which  I  once  valued  I 
now  cheerfully  resign  for  him,  and  count  them  but  loss.' 
The  infidel  will  smile  at  this,  and  the  only  reply  I  would 
make  is  found  in  John  14:  17." 

While  at  Jerusalem,  Dr.  King  profited  by  some  of  his 
early  acquirements  in  music  in  a  way  quite  unexpected 
to  him.  "  At  the  request  of  two  of  the  principal  singers 
in  the  Greek  church,  I  have  commenced  giving  them 
lessons  in  music,  according  to  the  English  method.  Mr. 
Fisk  translates  the  rules,  and  I  apply  them  to  practice. 
This  is  to  us  an  interesting  occurrence,  and  it  affords  me 
much  pleasure  to  be  a  teacher  of  music  in  the  city  of 
David." 

At  one  of  the  convents,  some  curious  books  were  to 
be  seen,  in  Syriac,  Ethiopic,  Arabic,  Greek,  and  Geor- 
gian ;  which  latter  resembles  the  Armenian,  but  no  one 
there  could  understand  it. 

There  were  six  Jewish  synagogues  in  Jerusalem  at 
this  time,  one  belonging  to  the  Koraites.  One  Sabbath 
two  Jews,  named  Abraham  and  Isaac,  attended  the 
preaching  services  in  Mr.  Fisk's  room.  The  one  named 
Abraham  came  to  Dr.  King's  room  for  further  instruc- 
tion.    He  was  already  satisfied  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  is 

11* 


125  yONAS  KING. 

the  Messiah,  and  prayer  was  offered  with  and  for  him, 
that  he  might  have  courage  to  confess  this  fact,  even  at 
the  risk  of  losing  his  Hfe,  either  by  poison  or  on  some 
legal  pretext  obtained  by  bribery. 

An  excursion  was  made  to  Ramah.  The  prophet 
Samuel's  house  is  said  to  have  stood  on  a  high  elevation, 
from  which  is  a  very  beautiful  view.  The  visitors  were 
allowed  to  buy  the  privilege  of  looking  through  a  grated 
window,  into  a  room  said  to  be  Samuel's  sepulchre  and 
that  of  his  mother  Hannah.  About  half  way  back  to 
Jerusalem  were  shown  tombs,  seventy-two  in  number, 
said,  by  Jewish  tradition,  to  be  those  of  the  last  Sanhe- 
drim. They  professed  to  show  also  those  of  Haggai, 
Zachariah,  Malachi,  and  Huldah  the  prophetess. 

In  the  course  of  a  detailed  description  of  Jerusalem, 
Dr.  King  wrote  :  "  I  have  viewed  the  city  from  many  dif- 
ferent stations,  have  walked  around  it  and  within  it,  have 
stood  on  the  Mount  of  Olives,  with  Josephus'  description 
of  it  in  my  hands,  sometimes  reading,  sometimes  looking, 
to  see  if  I  could  discover  any  of  those  distinctive  marks 
of  the  different  parts  of  the  city  as  laid  down  by  him 
nearly  i,8oo  years  ago  ;  and  after  all  my  research,  I  com- 
pare it  to  a  beautiful  person,  whom  I  have  not  seen  for 
many  years,  and  who  has  passed  through  a  great  variety 
of  changes  and  misfortunes,  which  have  caused  the  rose 
on  her  cheeks  to  fade,  her  flesh  to  consume  away,  and 
her  skin  to  become  dry  and  withered.  Yet  there  are 
some  general  features  remaining,  by  which  I  recognized 
her  as  the  one  who  used  to  be  the  delight  of  the  circle  in 
which  she  moved.     Such  is  the  present  appearance  of 


THE  DESERT  AND  JERUSALEM.  127 

this  Holy  City,  which  was  once  '  beautiful  for  situation, 
the  joy  of  the  whole  earth.'  " 

After  making  an  excursion  together  to  the  Dead  Sea 
and  the  site  of  Jericho,  Messrs.  Fisk  and  King  parted 
from  Mr.  Wolff,  leaving  him  to  pursue  his  work  among 
his  countrymen,  the  Jews,  while  they  turned  their  faces 
toward  Lebanon. 


28  JONAS  KING. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

STUDY  AND  WORK  IN  PALESTINE. 

Abou  Ghoosh— Zidon— Lady  Hester  Stanhope— Rev.  Lewis  Way 
—Studies  Arabic  at  Deir  el  Kamar— Discussions  with  Roman- 
catholics. 

The  whole  country  north  of  Jerusalem  seemed  to 
belong  to  Abou  Ghoosh,  whom  our  missionaries  had 
providentially  met  in  Egypt,  and  there  secured  his 
friendship. 

Passing  through  the  valley  of  Sharon,  where  a  re- 
markable grapevine  was  seen  covering  a  space  of  five 
rods  long  by  one  rod  wide,  thus  giving  special  force  to 
Scripture  imagery,  Messrs.  Fisk  and  King  came  to  Zi- 
don. Plere  they  were  glad  to  meet  Rev.  Mr.  Lewis,  an 
English  Episcopal  missionary  to  the  Jews,  whom  Dr. 
King  had  met  in  Paris.  All  three  ministers  took  part  in 
the  services  held  on  the  Sabbath. 

From  Zidon  Dr.  King  forwarded  his  letters  of  intro- 
duction to  Lady  Hester  Stanhope,  who  immediately  sent 
her  dragoman,  with  her  compliments,  inviting  him  to 
visit  her  at  Dyhoon,  three  hours  distant  from  Saide  (Zi- 
don). On  his  arrival  he  was  first  taken  into  a  piazza 
enclosed  with  network  all  entwined  with  roses  and  jes- 
samine. Then  an  excellent  dinner  was  served,  after 
which  Lady  Hester  Stanhope  received  him  very  gra- 
ciously, "  saying  that  although  she  was  very  much  occu- 


STUD  Y  AND   WORK  IN  PALESTINE.       1 2  9 

pied  at  this  time,  yet  she  could  not  let  an  American  pass 
without  seeing  him,  and  especially  one  who  had  come 
here  with  my  motives,  and  who  expected  to  stay  in  the 
country  some  time.  I  replied  that  it  afforded  me  much 
pleasure  to  meet  with  one  who  belonged  to  that  family, 
the  name  of  which  was  known  to  every  American,  and 
repeated  with  respect  by  every  child  who  knew  how  to 
read.  She  is  the  granddaughter  of  William  Pitt,  who 
plead  the  cause  of  America  in  the  British  Parliament. 
From  this  time  our  conversation  was  incessant  for  about 
three  or  four  hours,  after  which  she  walked  out  with  me 
and  showed  me  her  horses  and  garden."  In  the  stables 
he  found  that  curiously-deformed  mare,  having  its  back 
in  shape  of  a  natural  saddle,  which  this  singular  woman 
kept  for  the  use  of  the  coming  Messiah !  The  animal 
was  no  myth,  as  many  suppose. 

After  surveying  the  establishment.  Lady  Hester  left 
him  for  an  hour,  just  when  he  really  wished  to  be  alone, 
it  being  the  time  appointed  for  the  Monthly  Concert, 
which  Messrs.  Fisk  and  Lewis  had  agreed  to  observe 
together.  "After  spending  this  hour  alone,  Lady  Hes- 
ter sent  for  me,  and  with  the  exception  of  about  another 
hour  spent  at  supper,  our  conversation  was  uninterrupted 
till  near  break  of  day.  It  turned  on  various  subjects — 
America,  England,  France,  Turkey,  the  present  state  of 
things  in  the  world,  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ,  of  Mo- 
hammed, and  of  pagans,  witchcraft,  etc.  She  is  really 
the  most  wonderful  woman  I  ever  saw.  She  believes  in 
dreams  as  slight  intimations  of  what  is  about  to  take 
place  ;  believes  that  every  person   is  born  under  some 


I30  yOA^AS  KING. 

particular  star,"  etc.  This  lady's  strange  views  as  to. the 
Messiah  and  spiritual  influences  were  due  no  doubt  to 
the  partial  disorder  of  a  naturally  fine  mind. 

Dr.  King  writes :  "  There  is  not  a  single  house  on  her 
mountain  except  her  own,  and  here  she  can  sit  and  see 
the  Arab  shepherds  watching  their  flocks  on  the  neigh- 
boring mountains,  all  of  whom  are  at  her  command.  Her 
influence  here  is  very  great,  both  among  Turks  and 
Arabs."  The  attention  she  paid  Dr.  King  was  quite 
remarkable.  Her  offers  of  assistance  were  afterwards 
redeemed  by  her  securing  for  him  a  good  lodging-place 
and  teacher  at  Deir  el  Kamar. 

The  next  point  visited  was  that  city  whose  name  has 
been  so  variously  spelled,  which  Dr.  King  writes  Bairoot, 
stopping  on  the  way  "  at  an  inn,"  where  he  could  well 
claim  "  a  warmest  welcome,"  it  being  called  "  El  Neby 
Yunas,"  or  the  tavern  of  the  prophet  Jonas.  When  just 
entering  Beyrout,  Dr.  King's  mule  stumbled  violently, 
and  when  a  Druse  Arab  dexterously  saved  the  rider  from 
a  fall,  some  Turk  near  said,  "  Why  did  you  not  let  the 
Christian  fall  T 

The  first  thing  necessary  was  to  secure  protection 
from  the  Emir  Busher,  who  lived  about  ten  and  a  half 
hours  from  Beyrout.  The  road  there  was  a  very  rough 
one,  but  upon  arrival  the  emir  received  the  missionaries 
with  great  respect,  and  gave  them  a  letter  to  visit  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  mountain,  and  to  reside  where  they 
pleased  to  study  Arabic.  He  also  invited  them  to  spend 
ten  or  fifteen  days  at  his  palace. 

Another  visit  was  made  to  Antoura,  where  that  good 


STUD  V  AND   WORK  IN  PALESTINE.       131 

tlioLigh  very  singular  man,  Rev.  Lewis  Way,  had  taken  a 
house,  intending  to  make  it  a  sort  of  college.  This  plan, 
liowever,  was  soon  given  up,  as  Mr.  Way's  health  failed, 
causing  his  return  to  England.  Here  Mr.  Fisk  and  Dr. 
King  assisted  Mr.  Way  in  the  Church  of  England  ser- 
vice. The  next  day  the  letters  of  introduction  were  de- 
livered to  the  sheikh  and  the  Maronite  Bishop,  who  gave 
Dr.  King  a  note  that  would  be  of  use  to  him  at  Deir  el 
Kamar,  the  place  recommended  for  the  study  of  Arabic 
by  Lady  Hester  Stanhope.  Arrived  at  this  latter  place, 
Dr.  King  records,  July  29,  1823,  "This  day  I  am  thirty- 
one  years  of  age.  Put  on  the  Arab  dress,  and  began  to 
study  Arabic  in  good  earnest."  The  family  in  which  he 
boarded  was  Roman-catholic.  The  women  came  into  the 
family-room  unveiled,  and  "conversed  as  freely  as  Eng- 
lish ladies  would  do."  One  of  them,  after  the  baptism 
of  a  child,  performed  with  superfluity  of  forms  and  with 
use  of  water,  oil,  and  soap,  said  in  Italian  that  women 
usually  were  more  secluded  ;  "  but  I  was  a  better  man 
than  the  curate  and  a  great  treasure  in  the  place,  so  that 
they  had  no  fear  of  me."  This  gave  opportunity  for  a 
little  talk  about  baptism  and  true  regeneration.  The 
women  said  they  wished  he  was  their  curate.  Dr.  King 
replied,  "  Were  I  your  curate,  I  could  say  nothing  better 
to  you  than  this :  to  love  Jesus  Christ  with  all  your 
heart,  trust  in  him  for  salvation,  confess  your  sins  before 
God,  live  a  life  of  prayer,  and  do  good  to  others.  All 
were  silent,  and  in  this  manner  I  addressed  them  for 
some  time.  While  I  was  speaking  the  tears  often  came 
in  my  eyes.     I  felt  that  it  was  a  wonderful  thing  that  in 


132  yONAS  KING. 

this  place,  where  a  woman  is  seldom  seen,  I  should  be 
permitted  to  see  them  and  preach  to  them  Jesus  Christ 
and  him  crucified.  They  then  invited  me  to  eat  with 
them,  and  when  they  went  away  one  of  them  invited  me 
to  visit  at  her  house.  These  were  some  of  the  most 
respectable  women  in  the  place." 

A  few  days  were  taken  up  by  a  journey  in  company 
with  Hanna,  his  teacher,  back  to  Beyrout,  by  request  of 
Mr.  Way,  who  wished  to  see  him  before  leaving  the  coun- 
try. He  stayed  over  Sunday  at  a  convent  for  nuns.  It 
is  sometimes  denied  that  any  changes  are  made  by  the 
Roman-catholics  in  the  sacred  text ;  but  here  in  the 
Prayer-book  of  the  Catholic  Christians,  printed  in  Ara- 
bic, Dr.  King  read  the  following  heading:  "'The  ten 
Commandments  as  written  by  God  on  two  tables  of 
stone,  and  handed  down  to  us,  the  Church.'  Then  fol- 
lowed tai  commandments  ;  but  the  second,  as  in  the  law 
of  Moses,  was  entirely  left  out,  and  the  tenth  divided  into 
two,  so  as  to  make  the  number  ieji.  The  fourth  com- 
mandment also  said, '  Observe  the  first  day  and  the  feast- 
days.'  Soon  after  I  had  read  these  the  priest  came  in, 
and  I  remarked  to  him  what  I  had  read,  and  told  him 
that  these  were  not  the  ten  commandments  delivered  to 
Moses  ;  that  there  was  another,  as  I  knew,  for  I  had  read 
them  in  the  Hebrew.  He  seemed  angry,  and  tried  to 
make  me  believe  that  I  was  under  a  mistake.  I  told  him 
it  was  in  vain  for  him  to  speak  in  this  manner,  for  every- 
body knew  that  there  was  another  commandment,  which 
was,  '  Thou  shalt  not  make  unto  thee  any  graven  image, 
or  any  likeness  of  anything  that  is  in  heaven  above,  or 


STUDY  AND   WORK  IN  PALESTINE.       133 

that  is  in  the  earth  beneath,'  etc. :  '  thou  shalt  not  bow 
down  thyself  to  them,  nor  serve  them.' 

"  I  really  felt  so  indignant  that  any  man  should  dare 
take  away  one  of  the  commandments  of  God,  that  I  told 
the  priest  plainly  that  it  was  an  impious  thing  to  make 
such  a  change. 

"  My  teacher  replied,  '  If  these  are  the  commands  of 
the  church,  they  are  the  commands  of  God.'  This  I  de- 
nied, and  told  him  how  one  pope  had  said  one  thing  and 
the  succeeding  pope  had  said  another  in  direct  contra- 
diction to  it ;  and  asked  him  if  he  thought  both  were 
from  God.  '  God  never  acts  in  such  a  manner,'  said  I ; 
'  it  is  man,  erring  man.'  " 

A  servant  of  Mr.  Way  was  lying  very  sick  and  died 
the  night  Dr.  King  spent  at  Saide,  and  it  was  almost  im- 
possible to  keep  the  Roman-catholic  priests  from  troub- 
ling his  last  hours  with  their  sprinkling  of  holy  water, 
that  he  might  be  reported  a  convert  to  their  church. 

When  returned  to  Deir  el  Kamar,  Dr.  King  writes  : 
"When  in  a  garden  with  my  teacher  some  one  knocked 
at  the  garden-gate,  and  we  were  told  that  the  intended 
wife  of  my  teacher  had  come  to  spend  a  little  time  in  the 
garden.  On  hearing  this  he  instantly  arose,  and  said  he 
must  leave  the  garden,  for  it  would  be  a  very  improper 
thing  for  him  to  stay  there  if  his  seiiora  came  in.  I  told 
him  I  had  no  idea  of  going  with  him  ;  that  I  intended  to 
stay  there  and  see  his  girl,  and  all  the  company  united 
in  saying  I  must  stay.  He  seemed  to  be  in  as  great  con- 
fusion as  if  there  had  been  a  cry  of  fire  in  the  village, 
and  immediately  left  the  garden,  and  his  spouse  entered. 

Jonas  Kjng.  J 2 


134  yONAS  KING. 

All  pointed  out  to  me  the  blushing  damsel,  and  asked 
me  before  her  if  I  thought  her  handsome. 

"  Here,  when  a  young  man  wishes  to  marry,  the  pa- 
rents make  the  agreement  for  him.  My  teacher  told  me 
he  had  not  seen  his  spouse  for  nearly  a  year.  He  never 
goes  to  her  father's  house  except  with  his  father  or 
mother. 

"  In  the  evening  went  to  the  house  of  Michael.  Sev- 
eral Arabs  were  present.  Soon  came  in  a  Catholic  priest 
to  hear  the  confessions  of  the  family.  The  Arabs  asked 
me  if  I  confessed.  '  To  God  the  Father  and  the  Son  and 
the  Holy  Ghost,'  replied  I,  'and  not  to  a  sinful  priest, 
who  has  need  himself  to  confess.'  '  But  have  you  no 
need  of  a  middle  person  between  you  and  God  .'''  said  one 
of  the  Arabs.  '  Yes,'  rei^lied  I,  '  and  Jesus  Christ  is  the 
Mediator  ;  I  wish  for  no  other.' 

"They  then  made  further  inquiries  about  my  religion, 
and  I  told  them  how  simple  our  forms  of  worship  were, 
and  how  they  were  according  to  the  examples  of  the 
apostles  and  the  commands  of  Jesus  Christ.  All  said, 
'  That  is  right,  that  is  good,'  and  one  man  exclaimed, 
'  Henceforth  I  will  be  like  you,  and  have  nothing  to  do 
with  these  priests.'  I  replied  that  I  thought  the  clerical 
office  necessary,  but  that  our  priests  should  be  such  as 
Paul  had  described,  '  not  given  to  wine,'  *  the  husband  of 
one  wife,'  etc.  I  then  went  on  and  proclaimed  to  them 
as  well  as  I  could  Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified,  and 
the  importance  of  relying  wholly  upon  him  for  salva- 
tion." 

The  following  gives  some  idea  of  missionary  daily 


STUDY  AND   WORK  IN  PALESTINE.       135 

life,  and  the  difficulties  in  tlie  way  of  acquiring  the  Ara- 
bic language.  "  I  read  Arabic  every  day,  except  Sun- 
days, from  morning  till  noon,  and  in  the  afternoon  we 
converse.  The  effort  I  make  in  pronouncing  the  guttu- 
rals occasions  pain  in  my  breast,  and  I  sometimes  feel 
almost  discouraged.  At  such  times  I  go  to  my  room 
and  weep  and  pray,  and  in  view  of  duty  and  of  the  short- 
ness of  life  again  make  efforts  to  acquire  this  difficult 
language.  I  wish  to  be  able  to  speak  the  Arabic  like  an 
Arab,  so  that  I  may  be  able  to  preach  Jesus  Christ  to 
this  dying  people. 

"  In  the  afternoon  visited  at  the  house  of  Andrew 
Domani,  called  the  father  of  Khalil.  The  father  here 
takes  the  name  of  his  first-born  son,  and  the  mother  also. 
If  the  first-born  be  called  Khalil,  the  father  goes  by  the 
name  of  Abu  Khalil,  and  the  mother  Im  Khalil. 

"  Went  to  the  house  of  Michael.  While  there,  there 
came  in  a  woman  who  made  a  long  complaint  against  her 
husband,  who  had  been  beating  her.  She  told  of  it  in  a 
laughing  manner,  and  I  said  to  her,  *  I  think  he  could  not 
have  beaten  you  very  hard,  for  you  laugh.'  She  is  what 
is  called  a  fellahh,  and  wears  on  her  forehead  a  long  horn. 
All  the  women  here  who  are  natives  of  the  mountains 
wear  horns,  which  give  them  a  very  odd  appearance. 
They  are  generally  made  of  silver,  and  are  about  a  foot 
and  a  half  long.  I  call  them  unicorns.  After  the  woman 
had  finished  the  story  of  her  husband's  beating  her,  I 
asked  her  if  the  women  here  did  not  sometimes  Jiook 
their  husbands.  This  set  the  whole  company  of  Arabs 
present  in  a  loud  roar  of  laughter. 


136  yONAS  KING. 

"  My  teacher  would  not  believe  that  the  priests  had 
kept  back  the  second  command,  and  said  he  would  brino- 
a  Jew  to  see  me  and  ask  him  whether  that  command  was 
in  the  Jewish  books.  I  told  him  to  bring  him,  for  every 
Jew  knew  that  this  is  the  second  command  given  by  God 
to  Moses.  He  had  in  the  morning  read  this  in  my  Ara- 
bic Bible ;  but,  as  it  was  printed  in  England,  he  doubted 
its  authenticity.  After  a  long  discussion  he  sent  for  a 
Bible  that  he  said  was  printed  in  Rome  and  must  be  true. 
I  immediately  opened  to  the  twentieth  chapter  of  Exo- 
dus, and  told  him  to  read,  and  he  to  his  astonishment 
found  that  I  had  told  him  the  truth. 

"  The  mother  of  his  spouse  asked  me  why  I  did  not 
make  the  sign  of  the  cross.  '  Because,'  said  I,  '  that  is 
nothing.  Jesus  Christ  never  told  his  disciples  to  make 
this  sign,  but  to  take  up  their  cross  and  follow  him,'  and 
that  if  she  attempted  to  follow  Christ  Jesus  according  to 
the  gospel,  she  would  find  what  that  cross  is ;  that  if  she 
had  not  the  Holy  Spirit  in  her  heart,  teaching  her  to 
deny  all  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  she  might  make 
the  sign  of  the  cross  every  day  of  her  life  and  then  go  to 
hell.  My  teacher  said,  *  You  have  reason,  I  have  reason, 
every  man  has  reason  ;  let  every  one  believe  according 
to  that  and  follow  that.'  '  Human  reason,'  replied  I,  '  is 
in  the  dark,  you  are  in  the  dark,  the  priests  are  in  the 
dark,  and  this  book,  the  gospel,  is  the  only  sun  which 
can  dispel  the  darkness.  Here  is  light ;  we  must  believe 
and  act  according  to  this  rule,  or  there  is  no  light  in  us.' 
All  exclaimed,  *  He  is  right;  that  is  truth.'  After  three 
or  four  hours'  conversation  of  this  kind  I  retired  to  rest, 


STUDY  AND   WORK  IN  PALESTINE.        137 

but  my  feelings  had  been  so  much  engaged  that  I  could 
not  sleep. 

"  A  priest  came  in  and  several  women  also  while  I 
was  reading  to  my  teacher  the  twenty-second  psalm  : 
'All  the  ends  of  the  world  shall  remember  and  turn 
unto  the  Lord,  and  all  the  kindred  of  the  nations  shall 
worship  before  thee.'  At  this  I  stopped  and  asked  the 
priest  whether  that  time  was  past  or  whether  it  was  to 
come.  He  hardly  knew  what  to  answer  me,  and  I  went 
on  and  proclaimed  before  all  present  how  darkness  cov- 
ered the  earth,  and  that  a  time  was  coming  when  Jesus 
Christ  should  reign  on  the  earth ;  i.  e.,  when  all  should 
know  his  name  and  serve  him, 

"  I  then  asked  my  teacher  to  read  aloud  the  twentieth 
chapter  of  Revelation,  and  then  the  first  three  chapters 
of  the  same.  As  he  read  all  were  exceedingly  solemn 
and  the  mother  of  my  teacher  wept,  and  I  also  could 
hardly  refrain  from  weeping. 

"  A  man  noted  as  an  astronomer  said  he  thought  '  if 
a  man  did  what  was  right  he  would  go  to  heaven,  whether 
Moslem  or  Christian,  Jew  or  pagan.' 

"I  replied,  'I  am  not  the  judge.  God  is  the  Judge 
of  the  whole  earth,  and  he  will  save  whom  he  pleases, 
and  he  may,  for  aught  I  know,  reveal  Jesus  to  a  dying 
pagan.  But  without  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  there  is 
no  salvation,  neither  for  you  nor  me,  nor  for  any  other 
son  or  daughter  of  Adam. 

" '  In  a  few  years,'  said  I,  '  all  our  knowledge  of  lan- 
guages, of  astronomy,  of  mathematics,  chemistry,  etc., 
will  cease,  and  I  value  them  only  in  so  far  as  they  tend 


138  yONAS  KING. 

to  lead  the  mind  to  the  great  First  Cause  of  all  things,  or 
fit  it  to  make  inquiries  with  regard  to  Him  and  the  truths 
contained  in  his  Holy  Word.'  On  his  ajDpearing  to  be  a 
little  confused  at  this,  I  said  to  him,  '  If  I  am  your  friend 
and  you  love  me,  as  you  say  you  do,  I  must  tell  you  the 
truth  :  there  is  no  salvation  for  you  out  of  Jesus  Christ.' 

" '  I  have  one  question  to  ask  you,  Aboona,  and  then 
I  have  done  :  When  Jesus  Christ  commissioned  his  dis- 
ciples to  go  and  preach,  what  did  he  tell  them  to  preach, 
himself  or  his  mother  .<*  What  did  they  preach  "i  Jesus 
Christ  and  him  crucified  ;  salvation  alone  through  his 
blood  and  intercession  ;  not  one  word  about  the  Virgin 
Mary.  No.  Jesus  Christ  is  all  in  all  ;  he  was  such  to 
the  disciples  of  Christ,  he  is  such,  I  trust,  to  my  own 
soul,  and  he  is  such  to  every  Christian.'  All  present 
listened  attentively." 

Another  discussion  related  to  purgatory.  "Aboo 
Troos  spent  the  evening  with  me  in  conversing  about 
purgatory,  praying  to  the  saints,  etc.  I  related  to  him 
the  history  of  my  forefathers,  who  fled  from  the  storms 
of  persecution  in  Europe,  and  told  him  for  what  reason 
we  had  left  the  church  of  Rome,  and  what  enormities 
had  been  committed  under  its  sanction. 

"  He  seemed  astonished,  and  listened  to  me  with  all 
the  interest  of  a  little  child.  '  With  regard  to  purgatory,' 
said  he,  *  suppose  there  is  a  man  who  has  sinned  a  little, 
but  is  nearly  pure,  must  he  not  go  into  purgatory  to  be 
purified .-'' 

"  '  In  the  first  place,'  replied  I, '  there  are  no  such  men 
as  you  mention,  like  white  paper  with  here  and  there  a 


STUDY  AND   WORK  IN  PALESTINE.       139 

little  blot.  We  are  all  great  sinners,  altogether  blot,  and 
nothing  but  the  blood  of  Christ  can  cleanse  us.  If  you 
say  it  is  necessary  to  go  to  purgatory,  you  take  away 
from  the  merits  of  Christ's  death  and  dishonor  him.  He 
bore  our  sins  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane  and  on  the 
cross  ;  and  if  his  blood  is  applied  to  my  soul,  my  sins 
are  all  forgiven,  and  I  shall  be  clean,  whiter  than  snow, 
purer  than  silver  tried  in  the  furnace,  and  I  need  no  puri- 
fication in  purgatory.  You  make  Him  a  half  Mediator. 
His  blood  cleanses  in  part,  and  purgatory  in  part.  No. 
He  bore  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  and  sweat  as  it  were 
great  drops  of  blood ;  and  shall  I  now  say  his  blood  is 
not  sufficient,  but  that  I  too  must  suffer  in  purgatory, 
and  thus  in  part  expiate  my  sins  .-*  No,  never.  -Glory  be 
to  his  name,  his  blood  cleanses  from  all  sin. 

"  *  Thus,'  said  I,  '  you  see  how  the  church  of  Christ, 
founded  by  the  apostles  themselves,  turned  away  from 
the  truth  ;  no  wonder,  then,  if  there  should  be  error  and 
darkness  now  in  the  church  of  Christ,  and  all  the  church- 
es and  every  Christian  has  need  to  read  these  words  to 
the  churches  of  Asia.'  " 

One  Sunday  evening  "  I  remarked  that  all  men  were 
sinners,  that  every  son  and  daughter  of  Adam,  except 
Christ,  were  sinners,  even  the  Virgin  Mary.  At  this  all 
started  and  exclaimed,  '  The  Virgin  Mary,  the  mother  of 
God,  a  sinner  .'''  '  Yes,'  said  I,  '  she  was  a  sinner,  and 
had  need  of  the  merits  of  her  Son,  and  without  his  blood 
could  not  be  saved.  She  was  a  good  woman'  ('A  good 
virgin,'  interrupted  my  teacher).  '  Yes,  a  good  virgin, 
and  highly  favored  among  women   and  blessed  of  the 


140  yONAS  KING. 

Lord,  but  was  saved  only  by  the  blood  of  Christ.  Was 
not  David  a  sinner,  and  Solomon,  and  Rehoboam  ?  and 
yet  Christ,  as  to  the  flesh,  was  of  the  seed  of  David. 
Christ  was  born  without  sin — you  say  his  mother  must 
have  been  without,  because  he  was  without  sin.  In  the 
same  manner  you  must  say  her  father  was  without  sin, 
and  her  father's  father,  and  so  on,  till  you  trace  the  line- 
age back  to  David,  and  say  he  was  without  sin ;  but  that 
you  know  is  not  true,  for  the  word  of  God  expressly  says 
he  sinned  greatly,  and  he  himself  confessed  it.'  To  this 
no  one  was  able  to  give  an  answer." 

After  some  discussion  on  the  use  of  images,  a  jDriest 
said,  "'The  first  commandment  sufficed,  and  there  was 
no  need  of  the  second.'  My  teacher  said  the  same.  I 
then  raised  my  voice,  and  exclaimed,  '  Where  is  the  man 
who  dare  say  to  God  Almighty,  "  Thou  hast  given  more 
commandments  than  are  necessary  ;  one  or  two  or  three 
or  nine  suffice  ;  I  need  not  the  whole"  "i  Where  is  the 
man .-'     If  he  says  is  a  Christian,  he  is  not.' 

"  One  evening  a  very  intelligent  Arab  came  to  my 
lodgings  and  spent  three  hours  in  reading  the  Scriptures 
with  me,  and  in  conversation  about  images,  idols,  praying 
to  saints,  and  the  importance  of  faith  in  Jesus  Christ 
alone  as  our  Redeemer.  He  said  that  God  was  great 
and  to  be  feared,  and  men  feel  the  need  of  some  Media- 
tor to  speak  to  him  for  us,  and  for  this  reason  they 
prayed  to  the  saints.  I  replied,  'You  have  well  said  that 
we  need  a  Mediator;  and  for  this  very  reason  Jesus 
Christ  came  down  from  heaven  and  took  upon  him  our 
nature — was  made  in  all  respects  like  one  of  us,  sin  ex- 


STUDY  AND    WORK  IN  PALESTINE.       141 

cepted.  He  is  our  Mediator,  and  tliere  is  no  other.'  I 
then  read  to  him  i  John  1:1:  'If  any  man  sin,  we  have 
an  Advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous.' 
*  There  is  not,'  said  I,  '  a  single  word  in  the  whole  gospel 
about  praying  to  saints  and  angels.'  'But,'  replied  he, 
'  would  it  be  right  to  speak  against  the  saints  ?'  '  No,' 
said  I ;  '  I  honor  their  memory,  for  they  loved  Jesus 
Christ,  and  were  heralds  of  salvation  ;  but  if  you  think 
to  honor  Jesus  Christ  by  giving  his  glory  to  them,  or  by 
making  them  in  part  mediators  between  God  and  us,  you 
are  greatly  mistaken.  In  thus  doing,  you  dishonor  him. 
He  is  the  only  Mediator  between  God  and  man.  I  fear 
there  are  many  who  put  their  trust  more  in  the  interces- 
sion of  the  Virgin  Mary  and  Peter  and  Paul  and  the  rest 
of  the  saints  than  in  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  all  in  all  to  me, 
and  must  be  all  in  all  to  you  if  you  wish  to  be  saved. 
Besides,'  said  I,  '  how  do  you  know  that  Paul  hears  you 
when  you  pray }  Perhaps  I  am  praying  to  him  in  Amer- 
ica at  the  same  time  that  you  are  praying  to  him  here, 
six  thousand  miles  away.  Is  Paul  omnipresent .''  Cer- 
tainly not.  Jesus  Christ  is,  and  hears  every  prayer  that 
is  offered  in  every  part  of  the  world.'     '  True,'  said  he. 

"  During  the  conversation  he  asked  why  many  said 
this  Arabic  Bible  printed  in  England  ought  not  to  be 
received.  'Because,'  said  I,  'there  are  many  priests  in 
the  Roman-catholic  church  who  say  that  the  Word  of  God 
ought  not  to  be  put  into  the  hands  of  all  men,  but  only  a 
few.'  '  Why  .'''  said  he.  '  Because,'  replied  I,  '  there  are 
many  things  in  that  church  which  the  word  of  God  con- 
demns,'" 


142  yONAS  KING. 

Dr.  King  seems  ever  to  have  had  an  answer  at  hand 
when  any  one  questioned  the  doctrines  of  grace.  His 
arguments  against  infidehty  and  error,  many  more  of 
which  might  be  gleaned  from  his  Journals,  are  ever  re- 
plete with  good  common  sense,  often  quaintly  expressed, 
and  so  well  fitted  to  reach  the  mind  and  conscience.  Of 
him,  as  of  our  Lord,  it  may  be  said,  "  the  common  people 
heard  him  gladly." 


MT.  LEBANON  AND  THE  SAMARITANS.   143 


CHAPTER    X. 

MOUNT  LEBANON  AND  THE' SAMARITANS. 

Convents — Druses — Mount  Lebanon — Arrival  of  Messrs.  Bird  and 
Goodell — Beyrout — Missionary  Tour — -Tyre — Acre — Nazareth 
— Mount  Tabor — Ebal  and  Gerizim — Samaritans — Second  Vis- 
it to  Jerusalem — Arabic  Bible. 

At  every  convent  visited  by  Dr.  King,  he  called  at- 
tention to  the  truth  held  by  the  monks,  rather  than  to 
the  errors  with  which  it  was  entangled.  At  the  convent 
of  Mar  Antonius  Kazhiah,  it  was  sad  to  find  about  one 
hundred  monks  of  most  filthy  appearance,  only  one-half 
of  whom  were  able  to  read.  One  old  man  of  venerable 
appearance  listened  with  wonder  to  the  simple  story  of 
a  free  salvation  ;  and  others  privately  expressed  the  opin- 
ion that  they  themselves  were  wrong,  and  wished  they 
could  follow  the  missionaries.  A  Maronite  patriarch  ac- 
cepted an  Arabic  Bible  and  a  Syriac  Testament,  and 
gave  his  address  as  "  The  vile  Joseph  Peter,  patriarch  of 
Antioch."  He  said  there  were  eleven  or  twelve  Bishops, 
and  perhaps  150,000  Maronite  Christians  under  his  su- 
pervision. A  question  as  to  using  leavened  or  unleav- 
ened bread  had  separated  them  from  the  Syrian  church. 

Of  the  Druses,  Dr.  King  writes:  "They  believe  in 
one  God,  and  are  supposed  by  many  to  worship  a  golden 
calf.  They  express  a  great  deal  of  love  for  those  they 
meet,  but  the  Christians  say  they  are  hypocrites  and  de- 


144  JONAS  KING. 

ceivers,  and  worse  than  the  Bedouins  o£  the  desert;  for 
if  you  eat  with  a  Bedouin,  you  are  safe ;  or  if  he  says 
to  you, '  Peace  be  to  you,'  you  have  nothing  to  fear :  where- 
as a  Druse  will  welcome  you,  and  eat  with  you,  and  per- 
haps be  devising  means  to  rob  you  or  take  your  life. 

"  The  Christians  are  many  of  them  very  punctihous 
as  to  saying  their  prayers  and  confessing,  but  there  is 
very  little  good  faith  among  them.  On  any  occasion 
they  will  tell  a  lie.  They  say  if  they  do  not  lie  they 
cannot  gain  anything  in  trade.  They  regard  the  Sab- 
bath as  a  day  of  sport,  and  are  very  profane. 

"  The  women  are  kept  in  a  state  of  ignorance.  The 
mind  of  a  woman  is  generally  considered  by  the  men  as 
being  on  a  level  with  that  of  an  ass  ;  and  an  ass,  next  to 
a  hog,  is  considered  as  the  most  contemptible  animal 
there  is.  At  meals  the  men  eat  first,  and  then  the 
women  and  servants  eat  together  what  is  left." 

Their  way  on  this  journey  led  over  Mount  Lebanon. 
After  passing  a  lovely  spot,  "  Eheden,"  called  "  Eden  " 
by  the  English,  our  travellers  came  to  the  ancient  cedars 
so  long  famed  as  the  glory  of  Lebanon.  "  As  you  ap- 
proach them,  they  appear  like  a  little  grove  of  spruce  or 
pine-trees  in  America.  They  stand  on  six  little  hills  in 
the  arena  of  a  vast  amphitheatre  formed  by  lofty  barren 
mountains  on  the  north,  east,  and  south,  the  tops  of 
which,  I  suppose,  form  the  highest  part  of  Lebanon. 
On  the  hill  south  are  eighty  trees,  six  of  which  are  very 
large;  one  which  I  measured  was  twenty-nine  feet  in  cir- 
cumference, and  another  thirty-one  feet.  On  the  northeast 
are  thirty-five  trees ;  on  the  north  are  sixty-six ;  five  very 


MT.  LEBANON  AND  THE  SAMARITANS.    145 

large — one  being  forty  feet  in  circumference.  On  a  hill 
toward  the  northwest  are  sixty-three  trees.  On  the 
whole  three  hundred  and  twenty-one.  Mr.  Fiske  count- 
ed some  very  small  ones,  and  so  made  three  hundred  and 
eighty-nine.  Of  these  trees,  those  of  middling  size  are 
tolerably  straight,  eighty  or  ninety  feet  high,  covered 
with  limbs  nearly  to  the  ground.  The  large  ones  are 
very  irregular  in  shape,  and  appear  to  be  made  up  of 
several  trees  grown  together,  thus  uniting  their  strength 
against  the  strong  hand  of  time." 

Further  description  in  detail  is  given  of  these  old 
settlers,  under  whose  branches  the  Maronites  hold  a 
feast  once  a  year,  called  the  "  Feast  of  Cedars."  These 
cedars  are  called  by  the  Arabs,  Azek — almost  the  same 
word  used  by  the  Hebrews  of  old. 

Dr.  King  visited  the  ruins  of  Baalbec,  and  made 
drawings  and  measurements  which  may  still  be  of  ser- 
vice to  the  more  modern  explorer.  The  Arabs  account 
for  the  raising  of  such  enormous  stones  more  than  thirty 
feet,  by  saying  it  was  the  work  of  the  devil. 

The  journey  on  the  whole  was  a  rough  and  danger- 
ous one;  terrific  rains  quite  demoralized  the  attendants; 
accommodations  were  most  uncomfortable;  at  the  con- 
vents opportunity  was  often  given  for  serious  talk  with 
the  inmates ;  patriarchs  and  superiors  of  highest  rank 
were  glad  to  converse  with  strangers  so  intelligent,  not- 
withstanding their  heresy. 

At  Antoura  Dr.  King's  portrait  was  painted  in  his 
Oriental  dress,  by  Reuben  Costar,  a  Jew  brought  from 
France  by  Lewis  Way. 

Jnnas  King.  1  3 


146  yONAS  KING. 

Returning  next  to  Beyrout,  Dr.  King  made  arrange- 
ments to  continue  his  Arabic  studies,  receiving  much 
kind  attention  from  JMr.  Abbott  the  EngHsh  consul. 

At  the  request  of  Rev.  I\Ir.  Jowett,  Dr.  King  made  a 
few  notes  in  regard  to  a  tract,  which  the  former  was 
about  to  pubHsh,  in  order  to  stir  up  Christians  to  pray 
for  "an  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  upon  themselves, 
their  Jewish  and  Mohammedan  neighbors,  and  also  for 
pagans."     They  read,  condensed,  as  follows  : 

"  All  men  are  our  brethren  ;  their  souls  are  as  pre- 
cious as  ours. 

"  Prayers  are  to  be  offered  for  all  men  everywhere. 

"  We  are  debtors  to  the  Jews,  for  we  have  received 
all  that  we  hold  precious  from  them.  They  are  to  be 
'  grafted  in  again.' 

"We  should  pray  for  INIoslems,  because  they  are  the 
worst  of  men,  and  Christ  came  to  save  the  lost. 

"  We  should  pray  for  pagans,  for  there  is  as  much 
hope  of  their  conversion  as  there  was  of  that  of  our  fore- 
fathers. 

" '  The  ends  of  the  earth '  are  promised  to  our  Lord 
Christ. 

"  We  should  be  followers  of  God,  having  the  Spirit  of 
Christ,  who  gave  himself  for  the  redemption  of  the 
world." 

Then  as  encouragenient  to  prayer,  reference  is  made 
to  numerous  Bible  illustrations  of  its  power,  and  to  our 
Saviour's  direct  promises  concerning  it ;  also  to  the 
'•  signs  of  the  times,"  even  then  encouraging  to  watch- 
men upon  Zion. 


MT.  LEBANON  AND  THE  SAMARITANS.   147 

Dr.  King  did  not  stay  at  Beyrout  very  long,  return- 
ing to  Deir  el  Kamar,  where  advantages  for  study  were 
much  greater.  Here  he  was  received  as  a  brother,  with 
the  utmost  cordiality  j  but  his  quiet  studies  were  soon 
pleasantly  interrupted  again  by  letters  from  Rev.  Isaac 
Bird,  telling  of  his  arrival  with  Mr.  Goodell,  and  their 
wives  at  Beyrout.  Dr.  King  felt  at  once  much  anxiety 
lest  these  friends  should  not  take  the  right  kind  of  lodg- 
ings, for  a  mistake  here  might  compromise  their  charac- 
ter as  missionaries.  There  had  been  a  recent  scandal 
concerning  one  man,  on  account  of  his  allowing  his 
daughter  to  marry  a  bishop  who  already  had  one  wife  ; 
so  that  the  whole  community  was  greatly  incensed. 

The  local  sheikh  had  impressed  into  his  own  service 
every  horse,  mule,  and  jackass,  and  it  was  with  difficulty 
Dr.  King  made  his  way  back  to  Beyrout,  where,  to  his 
relief,  he  found  Mr.  Abbott  had  taken  the  new-comers 
into  his  own  home.  It  is  unnecessary  to  enlarge  upon 
the  delight  with  which  Dr.  King  welcomed  these  fellow- 
laborers. 

A  house  a  little  out  of  the  city  was  soon  taken  at 
$36  for  six  months,  and  on  Tuesday,  Nov.  25,  a  service 
was  held  there,  consecrating  it  to  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ; 
and  thus  was  begun  a  mission,  which  is  still  a  power  in 
the  East.  The  story  of  Dr.  Goodell's  part  in  it  has  just 
been  given  to  the  public.  Rev.  Dr.  Bird  has  himself 
written  of  "  Bible  Work  in  Bible  Lands." 

It  was  a  little  difficult  for  Dr.  King  to  decide  upon 
his  own  course.  The  new  missionaries  wished  him  to 
remain  with  them.      He  thought  he  could  study  to  belter 


148  yONAS  KING. 

advantage  by  going,  as  before,  right  in  among  the  Arabs. 
Damascus  might  be  a  good  place,  but  it  was  almost  im- 
possible to  get  there  over  the  mountains  at  this  season. 
In  the  meantime,  Arabic  still  engaged  his  attention, 
v/hile  conversations  were  held  by  him  as  often  as  pos- 
sible with  Mussulmans  and  Jews,  as  well  as  with  his  own 
teacher,  Hanna  Domani,  who  was  constantly  bringing 
up  quibbles  of  one  kind  or  another  as  to  the  word  of 
God,  and  yet  who  soon  allowed,  that  since  knowing  Dr. 
King,  he  "  could  not  rejoice  as  formerly  in  bowing  to 
images  and  pictures."  This  man  believed  in  miracles 
as  performed  in  the  convents,  and  offered  twenty  wit- 
nesses to  them.  Dr.  King  challenged  him  in  vain  to 
produce  even  one  or  two. 

When  the  question  came  up  as  to  the  best  location 
for  a  permanent  missionary  station,  Nazareth  and  Tyre 
were  proposed ;  Dr.  King  gave  his  voice  decidedly  for 
Beyrout,  an  opinion  which  an  experience  of  now  more 
than  fifty  years  fully  justifies.  He  writes  of  Beyrout : 
"  It  enjoys  the  advantage  of  consular  protection  ;  it  is 
the  best  place  for  a  d^pot,  having  easy  communication 
with  Malta ;  it  is  in  the  vicinity  of  all  the  Christians 
of  Mount  Lebanon  ;  there  are  several  families  of  Franks 
here,  and  the  Turks  are  more  civil  than  in  most  places 
farther  south.  In  case  of  any  great  commotion,  flight  to 
the  mountains  or  escape  by  sea  would  be  easy." 

Sometimes  thoughts  of  parents  and  home  for  the 
time  overcame  the  stranger  in  a  strange  land.  "  Com- 
mended my  dear  parents  to  the  care  of  Him  who  has 
always  been  gracious   to   them   and   provided  for   them 


MT.  LEBANON  AND  THE  SAMARITANS.    149 

*  Why,'  said  I,  '  should  I  wish  to  be  with  them  in  order 
to  comfort  them  ?  If  God  is  their  friend,  is  not  that 
enough  ?  Is  he  not  better  to  them  than  I  could  possibly 
be  ?  If  I  had  not  left  them  for  the  sake  of  Christ,  per- 
haps he  would  have  taken  me  from  them  by  sickness 
and  death.  O  God,  have  mercy  upon  my  soul  and  theirs  ; 
and  if  it  be  thy  holy  will,  let  me  see  them  again  in  the 
land  of  the  living ;  if  not,  let  us  be  resigned,  and  may  we 
meet  in  thy  kingdom,  where  there  is  no  separation  of 
friends,  no  sorrow,  no  sin.'  " 

Study  was  now  interrupted  by  a  season  of  conference 
with  other  missionaries,  Messrs.  Jowett,  Fisk,  and  Wolff  ; 
and  by  a  missionary  tour  to  Tripoli,  or  Trabloos.  From 
El  Kamar  he  wrote  to  his  friend  Mr.  Wilder,  "I  am  now 
alone,  entirely  surrounded  by  Arabs,  in  what  may  be 
called  the  capital  of  Mount  Lebanon,  as  it  is  the  place 
where  the  prince  (the  Emir  Bushir)  resides.  Mr.  Fisk 
and  Mr.  Wolff  are  two  days'  distance  from  us. 

"  My  business  is  to  read  and  talk  Arabic  from  morn- 
ing till  night.  I  have  put  on  the  turban  and  the  Arab 
dress,  and  my  beard  is  so  long  that  I  am  generally  taken 
by  strangers  to  be  one  of  the  sons  of  Ishmael.  I  sit  on 
the  floor  like  a  native,  and  at  dinner  thrust  my  hand 
into  the  dishes  of  pillau  as  deep  as  any  Arab  of  the  coun- 
try. Like  the  rest  of  the  people,  I  get  up  in  the  morn- 
ing and  pick  off  the  lice  that  are  crawling  on  me,  scrape 
away  some  of  the  biggest  of  the  fleas,  and  sit  down  on 
my  heels  with  the  Arabs,  who  say  they  love  me  very 
much,  and  call  me  brother." 

On  the  journey,  as  usual,  he  was  engaged  in  selling 


150  yONAS  KING. 

and  giving  away  Bibles,  and  parts  of  the  Bible  published 
as  tracts;  and  he  could  have  disposed  of  many  more,  had 
they  been  on  hand. 

A  letter  now  came  from  Mr.  Fisk  recalling  his  asso- 
ciate to  Jerusalem.  It  was  thought  expedient  for  Mr. 
Bird  to  go  there  also.  As  usual,  special  prayer  was  offer- 
ed before  these  brethren  set  out  on  their  way.  Dr  King 
writes,  "  In  six  hours  and  three  quarters  we  arrived  at  a 
place  called  Neby  Yunas,  the  spot  where  it  is  affirmed 
the  prophet  Jonas  was  'vomited  out  upon  dry  land.'  His 
name  is  revered  by  the  Mussulmans,  who  believe  that  he 
was  buried  here,  and  a  tomb  has  been  erected  in  which  a 
lamp  is  kept  constantly  burning." 

A  little  time  was  given  to  the  ruins  at  Tyre,  the 
missionaries  taking  a  boat  to  examine  the  vast  number 
of  columns  lying  "  in  the  water  and  out  of  the  water," 
just  as  the  prophet  Ezekiel  had  said  would  be  the  case, 
and  the  position  of  which  proved  the  great  extent  of  the 
ancient  city.  In  1823  only  three  or  four  hundred  mean- 
looking  houses  occupied  perhaps  half  the  present  island, 
so  that  it  may  be  said  with  truth,  "  Tyre  is  no  more. " 

At  Bosa  and  other  places  much  direct  religious  con- 
versation was  had  with  the  Mussulmans.  Acre  was  found 
strongly  fortified  with  walls,  recalling  many  scenes  con- 
nected with  the  Crusaders.  One  reader  of  the  Koran 
said  '  I  can  tell  why  the  earth  does  not  sink :  it  stands 
upon  a  bull.'  *  And  what  is  under  the  bull .''' said  I.  Ans. 
'A  rock,'  'And  what  is  under  the  rock.'''  Ans.  'The 
sea.'  'And  what  is  under  the  sea  i*'  Ans.  'Smoke.' 
'  And  what  is  under  the  smoke  i*'     Here  he  and  the  com- 


MT.  LEBANON  AND  THE  SAMARITANS.    151 

pany  burst  into  a  laugh  and  he  repHed  he  did  not  know, 
but  there  was  a  learned  sheikh  in  the  city,  and  he  wanted 
to  bring  us  together,  that  we  might  dispute." 

Nazareth  of  course  was  eloquent  with  thought  of  the 
Saviour's  daily  home-life.  "  There  was  a  school  of  forty 
or  fifty  boys  in  a  convent  here.  I  asked  one  of  them, 
who  read  Latin  very  fluently,  whether  they  understood 
what  they  read.  '  Oh,  yes.'  '  Tell  me  the  meaning  in 
Arabic'  This  they  could  not  do,  not  even  a  word.  For 
any  one  who  comes  here  and  says  one  Pater  Noster,  and 
one  Ave  Maria,  the  pope  promises  seven  years'  and  forty 
days'  indulgence.  To  one  of  the  Catholic  Arabs  present 
I  said,  '  What  does  this  mean  t  seven  years  past  or  seven 
to  come  i*'  '  Seven  to  come,'  said  he.  '  Then,'  said 
I,  '  I  can  say  one  Pater  Noster,  and  one  Ave  Maria, 
and  go  away  and  sin  as  much  as  I  please.'  He  did  not 
know  what  to  say  to  this,  but  another  Arab  Catholic 
came  up  and  told  him  it  was  seven  years  past.  '  But,' 
said  he,  'if  you  do  not  repent,  it  is  nothing!'  'But,' 
said  I,  'the  paper  says  nothing  about  repenting.  It  only 
says  if  you  say  one  Pater  Noster,  and  one  Ave  Maria 
you  have  indulgence  ;  and  if  I  repent  towards  God  He 
will  forgive  me  for  Christ's  sake,  and  I  have  no  need  of 
this  indulgence.'  He  seemed  to  feel  the  force  of  what  I 
said,  and  made  little  reply." 

At  Mount  Tabor,  a  bright  rainbow  so  transfigured 
the  mountain,  just  as  the  missionaries  looked  at  it,  that 
Mr.  Bird  said  some  men  would  have  regarded  the  appear- 
ance as  miraculous. 

While  waitins:  at  the  door  of  the  church  at  Nazareth, 


152  yONAS  KING. 

Dr.  King  being  there  alone,  ten  men  came  in  ;  and  refer- 
ring to  some  remarks  Dr.  King  had  made  as  to  the 
sacredness  of  the  place,  he  went  on  to  say  that  our  Lord 
Jesus  is  an  ever-present  Saviour,  everywhere  wherever 
his  people  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth.  A  still 
larger  number  of  people  came  together  and  listened  for 
twenty  minutes  to  a  real  Gospel  sermon.  One  or  more 
seemed  deeply  impressed. 

Quite  exact  measurements  were  taken  at  Nablous  of 
Mounts  Ebal  and  Gerizim,  and  facts  of  interest  obtained 
from  the  priest  of  the  Samaritans,  Salameh,  who  was 
acquainted  with  the  Abbe  Gregoire,  whom  Dr.  King  had 
known  at  Paris.  This  priest,  in  answer  to  inquiry,  said, 
"  The  number  of  Samaritans  is  about  two  hundred,  the 
number  of  males  sixty,  and  the  number  of  houses  twenty  ; 
there  are  three  persons  at  Jaffa  ;  there  were  formerly 
many  at  Damascus,  Aleppo,  Tripoli,  Gaza,  and  in  Egypt ; 
but  now  there  are  none.' 

"  I  asked  him,  '  When  did  your  fathers  separate  from 
the  Jews .''' 

"  Priest.  Their  separation  commenced  under  Shil- 
kiah,  in  the  days  of  Saul.  At  that  time  four  tribes  re- 
volted. The  final  separation  was  in  the  time  of  Ezra, 
after  which,  several  of  the  tribes  went  to  the  east  into 
India  beyond  a  river,  and  wandered  about  and  went  to 
Russia. 

"  I.  Do  you  know  Hebrew  } 

"Priest.  Yes. 

"  I.  Have  you  the  Jewish  books  '^.  Do  you  believe  in 
them } 


MT.  LEBANON  AND  THE  SAMARITANS.    153 

"  Priest,  We  have  the  five  books  of  Moses.  This  is 
our  holy  book.  Moses  commanded  that  nothing  should 
be  added.  The  Jews  have  changed  the  letters  of  the 
alphabet  and  added. 

"  I.  Have  you  the  book  of  Joshua .-' 

"  Priest.  Y.es.  We  consider  it  a  good  book,  but  not 
inspired  by  God  like  the  books  of  Moses. 

"  I.  Do  you  believe  in  the  prophet  Samuel  .-^ 

"  Priest.  He  was  a  great  enemy  to  the  Samaritans. 

"  I.  Do  you  know  anything  about  Jeroboam  and 
Ahab  who  were  kings  here  ? 

"  Priest.  No. 

"  I.  Have  you  any  sacrifices  } 

"  Priest.  Yes.  Once  a  year,  in  commemoration  of 
the  passover,  we  offer  six  or  seven  lambs  of  a  year  old 
upon  an  altar  of  stone. 

"  I.  Have  you  no  daily  sacrifices  .-* 

"  Priest.  No.  There  is  no  place  to  offer  them. 
Gerizim  is  the  place  where  we  should  worship. 

"  I.  Had  you  a  temple  there  formerly  } 

"  Priest.  Yes,  but  it  is  destroyed. 

"  I.  Have  you  an  altar } 

"Priest.  Yes,  of  stones  on  Mount  Gerizim,  where 
we  offer  the  passover. 

"  I.  Have  you  seen  the  Gospel } 

"  Priest.  Yes,  and  read  it  much. 

"  I.  What  do  you  think  of  Jesus  Christ  ? 

"Priest.  He  was  one  of  the  first  of  infidels,  because 
he  said  he  was  the  Son  of  God. 

"  I.  Were  not  his  works  c'oad  ? 


154  JONAS  KING. 

"  Priest.  I  say  nothing  against  his  works,  neither  do 
I  curse  him.  I  only  say  he  was  an  infidel,  because  he 
called  himself  the  Son  of  God. 

*'  I.  Have  you  read  his  conversation  with  the  woman 
of  Samaria  by  the  well  of  Sychar  ? 

"  Priest.  Yes.  It  is  all  a  lie.  He  came  to  the  well, 
and  all  he  said  was, '  What  is  the  name  of  this  well  ?'  and 
she  replied  '  Jacob's.' 

"  I.  Do  you  believe  in  a  Messiah  to  come  } 

"  Priest.  Yes. 

"  I.  What  will  be  his  character  }  Who  will  he  be, 
a  man  or  God  .'' 

"Priest.  The  spirit  of  Moses  will  descend  from 
heaven  and  take  another  body  and  reign  over  all  nations. 

"  I.  You  believe,  I  presume,  that  I  and  you  and  all 
men  are  sinners. 

"  Priest.  Yes,  truly. 

"  I.  What  must  a  man  do  in  order  to  inherit  the 
kingdom  of  heaven } 

"  Priest.  He  must  keep  the  law, 

"  I.  But  we  have  none  of  us  kept  the  law,  and  Joshua 
said,  '  Ye  cannot  serve  the  Lord,  for  he  is  a  Holy  God.' 
Your  fathers  were  very  rebellious  and  Moses  called  them 
stiff-necked,  and  the  law  says,  '  Cursed  is  every  one  that 
continueth  not  in  a/i  tJiings  written  in  the  book  of  the 
Law  to  do  them.'  We  are  all  under  the  curse.  How 
can  we  be  saved  .'* 

"  Priest.  By  repentance,  that  is  enough. 

"  L  Moses  sprinkled  the  book  of  the  law  with  blood, 
and  if  a  man  sinned,  he  was  to  offer  sacrifices,  and  with- 


MT.  LEBANON  AND  THE  SAMARITANS.    155 

out  the  shedding  of  blood  there  was  no  remission.  Were 
you  a  king  and  I  a  subject,  and  had  you  issued  a  decree, 
that  whosoever  should  kill  or  steal  should  be  put  to 
death,  and  I  should  commit  either  of  these  crimes,  repen- 
tance would  not  atone  for  it.  God,  who  cannot  lie,  has 
said, '  Cursed  is  every  one  who  continueth  not  in  all  things 
written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them.'  We  are  all 
under  the  curse  of  God's  holy  law,  which  you  and  I  be- 
lieve ;  and  there  is  no  remission,  but  by  the  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ,  to  whom  all  the  bloody  sacrifices  under  the  Mosaic 
dispensation  had  reference. 

"  Priest.  I  am  not  a  sinner  like  you. 

"  I,  Have  you  never  sinned  ? 

"  Priest.  Very  little,  very  little,  almost  none. 

"  I.  If  you  say  this,  you  do  not  know  your  own  heart. 
God  told  his  covenant  people  they  were  ever  inclined  to 
go  astray.  Moses  sinned  and  was  not  permitted  to  en- 
ter the  promised  land.     Are  you  better  than  Moses  ? 

"  Priest.  Yes,  better. 

"I.  Is  Moses  in  heaven.^ 

"Priest.  Yes. 

"  I.  How  was  he  saved  "i 

"Priest.  His  sin  was  as  nothing — small — small. 

"I.  But  the  Lord  was  angry  with  him  and  did  not 
permit  him  to  enter  into  Canaan. 

"Priest.  God  commanded  that  you  should  not  add 
to,  or  diminish  from  the  law,  or  change  a  single  letter. 
But  you  say  the  sacrifices  are  done  away,  and  you  keep 
the  first  day  of  the  week.     Why  is  this  t 

"  I.  The  sacrifices  all  referred  to  the  death  of  Christ, 


is6  yUiYAS  KING. 

the  great  sacrifice  which  was  made  to  atone  for  the  sins 
of  the  world,  and  they  ceased,  as  a  matter  of  course,  when 
he  suffered.  All  the  ritual  in  the  Law  as  it  respects  sac- 
rifices was  then  fulfilled,  and  the  work  of  redeeming  man 
was  so  much  greater  than  that  of  creating  the  warld,  that 
we  keep  the  first  day  of  the  week  instead  of  the  seventh. 
You  ask  me.  Why  change  the  law  ?  Why  abolish  sacri- 
fices .''  You  yourselves  have  left  off  the  daily  sacrifice. 

"Priest.  Why  is  circumcision  abolished.'* 

"  I.  That  was  a  bloody  seal  of  the  covenant  God  made 
with  Abraham,  and  like  the  blood  of  the  sacrifices,  prob- 
ably had  reference  to  him,  the  seed  of  Abraham,  in  whom 
all  the  nations  of  the  earth  were  to  be  blessed  :  to  his  blood, 
which  was  to  be  shed  that  the  covenant  might  be  estab- 
lished. The  covenant  God  made  with  Abraham  was,  '  I 
will  multiply  thee,  etc.,  and  in  thy  seed  shall  all  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth  be  blessed.'  This  seed  was  Christ ; 
He  said  not  seeds,  as  of  many,  but  '  in  thy  seed.' 

"Priest.  No.  The  seed  is  all  his  posterity,  and  the 
promise  or  covenant  was  multiplication  of  them. 

"I.  Why  then  are  you  diminished  to  the  number  of 
two  or  three  hundred,  and  the  Jews  to  about  seven  mill- 
ions, and  scattered  over  the  face  of  the  earth } 

"Priest.  There  are  multitudes  of  Samaritans  in  the 
world. 

"I.  Where.? 

"  Priest.  I  know  not,  but  they  exist  somewhere. 

"  I.  No.  The  promise  made  to  Abraham  had  refer- 
ence to  those  who  should  be  of  the  like  faith  with  him. 
Those  who  believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  walk  according 


MT.  LEBANON  AND  THE  SAMARITANS.    157 

to  God's  Holy  Word,  are  his  children  according  to  the 
promise,  and  I  trust  there  are  many  such  in  England  and 
America,  and  among  other  nations,  who  are  not  his  seed 
according  to  the  flesh, 

"  Priest.  The  Mussulmans  are  the  children  of  Abra- 
ham. 

"  I.  Are  all  the  nations  of  the  world  blessed  by  them  } 

"  Priest.  The  blessing  is  with  us  Samaritans. 

"  I.  Is  this  then  the  fulfilment  of  God's  promise,  '  I 
will  multiply  thee  '  .-•  Here  you  are,  pined  away  to  the 
number  of  two  hundred,  without  a  temple.  No,  the  prom- 
ise is  spiritual,  and  is  fulfilling,  and  will  be  fulfilled  : 
all  the  nations  of  the  earth  shall  turn  unto  the  Lord,  and 
shall  believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  seed  of  Abraham 
shall  be  like  the  stars  of  heaven  for  number,  and  as  the 
sands  upon  the  seashore,  and  I  hope  that  you  will  be  of 
that  spiritual  seed  also. 

"  While  I  thus  spoke  he  listened  very  attentively.  Be- 
fore leaving,  I  asked  if  he  would  permit  me  to  see  his 
manuscript  of  the  Torah.  He  replied,  'Yes,'  and  asked 
how  much  I  would  give  t  I  offered  him  two  piastres. 
He  then  said  the  key  to  the  synagogue,  where  the  book 
was,  was  not  with  him. 

"  I  answered,  *  I  know  where  the  key  is,  sir  ;  it  is  in 
my  purse.'     At  this  he  smiled  and  said,  '  Yes.' 

"  Afterwards  showing  this  man  a  dollar,  the  roll  was 
brought  out  and  opened.  He  said  it  was  3,448  years  old, 
and  was  written  by  the  grandson  of  Aaron.  He  did  not 
say  a  word  against  my  touching  it.  I  asked  him  to  read 
the  ten  commandments  of  the  Law,  which  he  did  from 

JuQllS  King.  H 


158  yONAS  KING. 

the  20th  chapter  of  Exodus,  and  interpreted  them  to  me 
in  Arabic.  He  called  the  first  two  one  ;  and  for  the 
tenth,  said  it  was  written,  '  Thou  shalt  make  to  thee  an 
altar  of  stones  upon  Mount  Gerizim.' 

"  The  commandments  were  comprised  in  four  sections. 
The  Samaritan  differs  from  the  Hebrew  in  character,  and 
in  pronunciation.  The  priest  charged  the  Jews  with  having 
changed  the  letters  of  the  Hebrew  language,  and  added 
to  the  word  of  God.  Before  closing  the  book,  the  priest 
remarked  to  me,  '  You  will  now  receive  a  blessing,  on 
account  of  having  seen  this  book.' " 

On  a  shelf  near  the  altar  in  the  small  neat  synagogue. 
Dr.  King  saw  many  books  written  in  Samaritan,  but 
was  not  disposed  to  pay  $2  00  for  one  of  them.  He  went 
with  the  priest  to  his  house,  from  which  was  a  fine  view 
of  the  Mounts  Ebal  and  Gerizim. 

The  priest  seemed  really  impressed,  when  Dr.  King 
on  leaving  committed  him  to  the  care  of  God  and  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

The  tomb  of  Joseph  was  shown  here,  also  the  well  of 
Jacob,  now  partly  filled  with  stones  and  earth.  On  Wed- 
nesday the  missionaries  received  a  most  cordial  welcome 
from  Mr.  Fisk  at  the  Convent  of  the  Archangel  at  Jeru- 
salem. The  expense  from  Beyrout,  including  servants, 
was  thirty-four  dollars. 

Dr.  King's  second  stay  in  Jerusalem  was  a  short  one. 
He  still  felt  that  in  order  to  learn  the  Arabic  quickly,  he 
must  be  alone  among  the  Arabs,  entirely  surrounded  by 
them.  For  this  reason,  after  visiting  the  sacred  locali- 
ties with  the  new  comer,  Mr.  Bird,  and  celebrating  with 


AIT.  LEBANON  AND  THE  SAMARITANS.    159 

him  and  Mr  Fisk,  the  Lord's  Supper  and  the  Monthly 
Concert  as  before  in  an  upper  chamber,  he  resolutely  left 
his  friends  for  Jaffa. 

On  the  way  at  Ramleh,  a  very  venerable  Arab,  blind, 
and  reminding  one  of  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  spoke  highly 
of  the  word  of  God,  and  encouraged  his  countrymen  to 
buy  it. 

The  Arabic  Bible  circulated  by  Dr.  King  was  a  great 
improvement  upon  the  one  formerly  used,  which  was  full 
of  errors,  so  that  the  Roman-catholics  had  indeed  reason  to 
complain  of  it ;  but  it  was  far  inferior  to  the  more  re- 
cent translation  made  by  Drs.  Eli  Smith  and  Van  Dyke. 


i6o  yOiYAS  KING. 


CHAPTER    XI. 

LIFE  IN  PALESTINE  CONTINUED. 

Jaffa — Discussion  with  Mussulmans  and  Catholics — The  Koran — 
Oriental  Dress — Return  to  Beyrout — Damascus — Aleppo — 
Antioch — Armenian  Creed — Tyre — Third  Visit  to  Jerusalem — 
Letters  written  from  Calvary — Journey  towards  Home — Asaad 
El  Shidiak,  the  Martyr  of  Lebanon — Farewell  Letters. 

Dr.  King  decided  to  remain  for  a  time  at  Jaffa,  and 
engaged  a  teacher  there  at  $4.  a  month,  who,  speaking  of 
the  Koran,  said  it  was  the  root  of  all  knowledge,  the 
sum  of  perfection  of  all  wisdom  ;  and  that,  in  order  to 
know  Arabic  well,  one  must  read  it  sixty  times. 

Mere  human  reason  everywhere,  east  or  west,  among 
the  Arabs  of  Syria,  the  Brahmins  of  India,  or  the  trans- 
cendentalists  of  nominal  Christianity,  asserts  itself,  as  re- 
gards the  "  mystery  of  godliness,"  in  about  the  same  terms. 
One  day  Sheikh  Khalil  said  to  Dr.  King,  "  I  am  willing 
you  should  love  Jesus  Christ.  I  love  him  more  than 
all  things  in  this  world,  more  than  my  own  life.  All  I 
wish  is  that  you  should  say  he  is  the  servant  of  God,  and 
not  say  God  was  in  him,  and  he  in  God ;  and  that  they 
are  one."  Dr.  King  replied,  "O  Sheikh,  I  have  no 
hope  of  salvation  but  by  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ.  He 
is  God.  He  is  my  all."  Dr.  King  said  further  of  this 
man,  "  He  is  very  zealous  in  his  endeavors  to  convert  me 
to  the  Mussulman  faith  ;   says  I  am  an  infidel,  in  danger 


LIFE  IN  PALESTINE  CONTINUED.         i6i 

of  everlasting  flames  unless  I  give  up  the  divinity  of 
Clirist.  By  the  grace  of  a  crucified  Redeemer,  I  hope  to 
be  faithful  to  this  deluded  soul.  My  feelings  are  so 
shocked  sometimes  at  hearing  Gabriel  called  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  the  name  of  the  false  prophet  exalted  above 
that  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  I  would  gladly  lay  aside  the 
Koran,  and  never  read  in  it  again,  did  I  not  think  it  my 
duty  so  to  do,  in  order  to  enable  me  to  be  more  useful." 

Sheikh  Khalil  afterwards  begged  for  a  whole  Bible, 
promising  never  to  part  with  it,  and  some  time  after 
made  no  comment  when  Dr.  King  spoke  of  the  Bible  as 
far  exceeding  the  Koran.  Still  he  one  day  asked  Dr. 
King  to  pull  off  his  shoes  while  reading  the  Koran,  who 
satisfied  him  by  saying  that  among  Englishmen  (Ameri- 
cans went  by  that  name)  this  was  considered  no  mark  of 
respect. 

Khalil  was  exasperated  at  the  conduct  of  a  Catholic 
family  who  had  ordered  a  Bible  to  be  burnt.  He  said, 
"  Do  not  let  the  Christians  have  any  more  of  your  books. 
We  Mussulmans  will  take  them.  If  I  should  see  that 
Catholic  priest  I  would  kill  him." 

After  some  talk  one  day  with  a  young  man  who  be- 
came very  vociferous  about  general  councils  and  saints, 
Dr.  King  says,  "  The  common  people  of  this  country  are 
so  noisy  and  impudent  that  one  has  need  of  much  grace 
and  humility  in  order  to  converse  with  them  in  a  proper 
manner.  They  come  at  you  like  a  mad  bull,  pawing  and 
bellowing  and  throwing  dust  around  them,  and  one  is 
almost  tempted  sometimes  to  knock  them  down  with 
weapons  that  are  only  carnal.     We  need  to  think  much 

1  :■■•= 


1 62  y^ONAS  KING. 

of  Him  'who  endured  the  contradiction  of  sinners,'  that 
we  be  not  wearied,  neither  faint  in  our  minds." 

A  poor  blind  man  called  for  books  one  day,  which  his 
younger  brother  could  read  to  him,  but  soon  came  back 
saying  the  priests  would  not  let  him  keep  them.  "  I  felt 
my  indignation  moved  at  this  sinful  act  of  taking  away 
the  light  of  heaven  from  one  who  will  never  more  behold 
the  light  of  the  sun  in  this  world." 

Direct  discussion  was  had  with  the  superior  of  a  Cath- 
olic convent.  Terra  Santa  at  Jerusalem,  carried  on  with 
singular  boldness  on  the  part  of  Dr.  King,  considering 
how  much  he  was  really  in  this  man's  power. 

Dr.  King  writes :  "  As  I  had  seen  him  in  Beyrout,  I 
thought  I  would  do  him  the  honor  to  call  on  him.  He 
immediately  began  to  make  remarks  about  my  dress,  and 
said,  '  Aha !  a  white  turban — all  Mussulman,  I  must 
write  to  England  and  let  the  people  know  you  have 
turned  Mussulman.  You  missionaries  have  come  out 
here — two  at  Jerusalem,  two  at  Beyrout,  with  their 
wives — to  turn  men  away  from  the  true  faith,  and  to 
make  discords  and  divisions.' 

"  I  interrupted  him  by  saying,  '  Christ  said  there 
would  be  divisions.'  He  continued,  'You  come  here  and 
spread  about  your  books,  which  are  changed.'  I  replied, 
*  They  are  not  changed,  but  are  word  for  word  according 
to  the  one  printed  at  Rome,  under  the  eye  of  the  pope.' " 

The  next  objection  was  that  the  Apocrypha  was  omit- 
ted, when  Dr.  King  said,  "  The  books  composing  it  were 
not  received  by  the  early  fathers  of  the  church."  "  You 
are  excommunicated,"  said  he,  "from  the  church."     "It 


LIFE  IN  PALESTINE  CONTINUED.         163 

is  a  blessing  so  to  be,"  replied  Dr.  King,  "because  the 
Roman-catholic  church  is  in  error,  and  no  longer  the 
true  church,"  Some  priests  present  could  hardly  re- 
strain their  rage. 

"'What  errors.^'  said  he.  Answer,  'Your  images, 
your  giving  pardon  for  money.  You  have  wholly  taken 
away  the  second  commandment.  Why  is  there  so  much 
lying  and  iniquity  here  among  the  people  and  the  priests  ? 
Because  they  have  not  the  Word  of  God.  If  you  would 
give  the  Word  of  God  to  the  people  yourselves,  I  would 
be  glad.' 

"  The  Austrian  consul,  who  was  present,  started  up 
and  said,  *  The  Roman-catholic  church  is  the  oldest  in 
the  world.' 

" '  The  Jews  are  before  you,'  said  Dr.  King.  *  They 
were  once  the  true  church,  but  they  have  wandered,' " 

The  above  is  but  a  specimen  of  the  conversation  held 
with  this  superior,  who,  following  Dr.  King  to  the  door, 
warned  him  to  desist  from  speaking  against  their  images 
and  the  worship  of  the  holy  Virgin,  lest  he  should  do  him 
harm. 

To  show  that  Dr.  King's  studies  of  Arabic  were  not 
in  vain,  his  teacher  soon  affirmed  that  he  "  was  now  fit 
to  read  the  Koran  in  the  Mosque  of  Omar  or  in  the  tem- 
ple at  Mecca ;"  that  he  read  it  with  more  propriety  than 
Mussulmans  who  had  been  doing  so  for  twenty  years. 
Dr.  King  adds,  "The  beauties  of  the  Koran  consist  prin- 
cipally in  the  language,  in  the  fine  jingle  of  words  which 
it  is  utterly  impossible  to  convey  through  the  medium  of 
any  European  language.    But  I  cannot  conceive  that  any 


1 64  JONAS  KING. 

man  of  decent  morals  and  of  good  understanding,  who 
admires  thoughts  rather  than  words,  should  ever  leave 
the  Bible  for  the  Koran.  This  would  be  leaving  a  pure, 
crystal  fountain,  to  drink  out  of  a  dirty  slough  ;  prefer- 
ring tinsel  to  gold,  or  husks  to  bread.  I  have  often  won- 
dered how  any  man  who  had  as  much  knowledge  of  the 
awful  truths  of  the  Bible  as  Mohammed  seems  to  have 
had,  could  be  so  daring  as  to  mix  them  with  falsehoods, 
and  swear  that  he  had  received  them  from  the  Lord  of 
all  worlds. 

"  The  Bible  is  as  much  above  the  Koran,  with  regard 
even  to  its  precepts  for  the  good  order  and  happiness  of 
society  in  this  world,  as  the  heavens  are  higher  than  the 
earth.  One  conviction  produced  on  my  mind  by  reading 
this  book  has  been  that  a  man,  having  a  perfect  knowl- 
edge of  the  Arabic  language,  possessing  a  strong  mind 
and  fertile  imagination,  with  the  Bible  in  his  hand  and 
the  devil  in  his  heart,  would  find  no  great  difficulty  in 
writing  the  Koran." 

Dr.  King  remained  at  Jaffa  as  long  as  he  could  study 
there  to  advantage,  and  then  returned  by  land  to  Bey- 
rout.  Room  cannot  be  given  to  his  account  of  the  jour- 
ney, nor  to  a  report  of  all  the  missionary  work  every- 
where so  persistently  carried  on,  "  in  season,"  and  often 
no  doubt  apparently  "  out  of  season."  Yet  one  may  im- 
agine what  a  hearing  the  zealous  stranger  must  have 
gained  even  through  the  very  incongruity  of  time  and 
place  often  chosen  by  him  for  religious  conversation. 

Dr.  King's  eyes  were  very  weak  at  this  period,  and 
he  was  obli^red  to  use  green  glasses.  -He  wore  the  Orien- 


LIFE  IN  PALESTINE  CONTINUED.         165 

tal  costume — for  according  to  the  example  given  in  i  Cor. 
9 :  20,  to  the  Arabs  he  became  as  an  Arab — so  that  New- 
England  friends  just  now  could  scarcely  have  recognized 
him.  Indeed,  on  one  occasion  he  purposely  quite  misti- 
fied  Dr.  Goodell,  who  had  just  arrived,  and  passing  up 
the  street,  supposed  the  figure  which  he  saw  seated  on 
a  stone  by  the  wayside  was  a  genuine  son  of  the  desert, 
until  suddenly  addressed  by  it  in  unmistakable  Ameri- 
can vernacular. 

A  long  letter,  sent  to  the  Bible  Society  at  Malta 
from  Beyrout,  reports  with  great  particularity  the  sale 
within  a  short  time  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-five 
Bibles. 

It  was  a  great  luxury  at  Beyrout  to  find  there  a  true 
home  with  his  missionary  friends.  Conferences  were 
soon  held  on  various  topics ;  the  first  related  to  the 
spelling  and  pronunciation  of  Scripture  and  Mussulman 
names.  A  list  of  these  is  given,  in  which  the  name  of 
their  present  abode  appears  as  Beyroot,  and  Tripoli 
takes  the  place  of  Trabloos. 

Discussion  on  the  subject  of  fasting  had  the  practical 
effect  of  leading  the  missionary  band  to  observe  the  first 
Monday  of  every  month  in  this  special  way. 

The  decision  as  to  one's  duty  in  the  case  of  evil  re- 
ports, was  to  "  pay  little  attention  to  them.  Christ  did 
not.  Preach  the  gospel ;  let  your  eyelids  look  right  on  ; 
commit  your  cause  to  God.  If  men  think  we  are  politi- 
cal spies  or  agents,  denying  it  will  do  no  good,  etc." 

While  at  Beyrout,  Dr.  King  offered  for  the  first  time 
an  extempore  prayer  in   Arabic.     Some  of   the  Arabs 


1 66  yOJVAS  KING. 

kneeled,  and  while  he  was  praying  smote  on  their  breasts, 
crying  out,  "  Lord,  have  mercy  upon  us,"  but  with  what 
sincerity  it  was  difficult  to  tell. 

Upon  returning  for  a  time  to  Deir  el  Kamar,  the  per- 
sonal greeting  received  by  Dr.  King  was  very  satisfac- 
tory, but  difficulties  as  to  distributing  the  Bible  had  in- 
creased. The  Roman-catholics  had  held  a  council  at 
Jerusalem,  and  had  ordered  the  convents  not  to  receive 
the  missionaries.  Again,  complaints  were  repeated  as  to 
the  edition  of  the  Bible  circulated,  because  the  Apocry- 
pha was  not  in  it.  One  of  the  priests,  Abouna  Yusuf, 
confessed  that  the  opposition  arose  from  fear  that  the 
Bible  would  be  the  means  of  bringing  out  those  who  read 
it  from  under  the  pope.  Dr.  King  allowed  there  was  dan- 
ger of  this,  as  it  had  had  this  effect  on  his  own  ancestors. 
This  priest  asked  Dr.  King  why  he  did  not  go  directly  to 
the  patriarch  ;  who  answered,  "  I  have  no  time  to  visit 
all  who  oppose  the  gospel.  St.  Paul  kept  about  his  own 
business,  preaching  the  Word."  Then  Dr.  King  went  on 
to  tell  how  this  very  patriarch  had  received  money  from 
England  and  a  press  from  America,  five  years  before,  in 
order  to  print  and  circulate  the  Bible,  but  had  done  noth- 
ing about  it — was  living  on  the  funds  and  opposing  the 
missionaries.  When  asked,  "  Why  should  you  distribute 
the  Bible,  when  an  edition  of  it  was  published  at  Rome.'*" 
Dr.  King  answered,  "  Yes,  but  at  a  price  no  poor  man 
could  pay,  thus  virtually  excluding  it  from  the  public. 
Those  who  profess  to  be  built  on  Peter  should  observe 
his  directions,  and  take  heed  to  the  Scriptures  as  to  a 
light  in  a  dark  place." 


LIFE  IN  PALESTINE  CONTINUED.         167 

Sometimes  the  priests  became  so  much  excited  that 
the  noise  was  deafening;  especially  was  this  the  case 
when  they  were  told  there  was  no  rule  in  Scripture  "  for- 
bidding to  marry,"  nor  to  abstain  from  meats.  Again, 
they  said  that  when  Peter  denied  Christ,  it  was  only  with 
his  mouth,  not  with  his  heart,  and  therefore  not  wrong  ; 
and  that  he  never  dissembled,  as  related  in  Galatians. 
These  discussions  were  not  useless.  Sometimes  a  priest 
would  say,  "  Sir,  you  are  right.  I  think  as  you  do.  Go ; 
you  are  right." 

Sometimes  the  talk  was  with  or  about  the  dervishes. 
These  men  pretended  to  great  self-abnegation,  while 
in  reality  their  lives  were  thoroughly  wicked  and  im- 
pure. 

When  Dr.  King  visited  Damascus  he  found  it  neces- 
sary to  make  some  concession  to  Mussulman  prejudice 
by  not  wearing  his  white  turban  nor  riding  into  the  city ; 
but  he  refused  to  dismount  until  absolutely  compelled  to 
do  so.  Some  of  the  smaller  trials  of  life  were  here  ex- 
ceedingly numerous.  Sleep  sometimes  could  be  secured 
only  towards  morning,  and  then  in  the  open  air,  exposing 
one  to  cold  and  hoarseness. 

Much  kindness  was  shown  to  Dr.  King  and  the 
friends  with  him  by  Hakeem  (Dr.)  Solomon.  He  told 
them  that  in  Damascus  there  were  about  twelve  thou- 
sand nominal  Christians.  Whatever  may  have  been  the 
purity  of  the  Abana  and  Pharpar  in  the  days  of  Naaman, 
in  May,  1824,  their  waters  were  muddy  and  unwhole- 
some. 

About   this  time  the  superior  of  a  Greek  Catholic 


1 68  yONAS  KING. 

convent,  meeting  Dr.  King,  said  the  discovery  of  America 
had  been  a  great  injury  to  the  cause  of  religion,  because 
the  Indians  were  not  men,  not  children  of  Adam.  Dr. 
King  asked  that  the  conversation  might  be  in  Arabic, 
that  all  present  might  understand  ;  but  Abouna  Saba 
chose  to  use  Italian.  Speaking  of  Protestants,  he  said, 
"  You  have  protested  against  the  true  church." 

Dr.  King.  "  No,  we  have  protested  against  the  errors 
of  the  church." 

Abouna  Saba.  "  Errors  in  the  church  }  No.  There 
are  no  errors  in  the  church.  Old  things  are  certainly 
better  than  new." 

Dr.  King.  "  Surely ;  and  for  that  very  reason  we 
protested  against  the  errors  of  the  Romish  church,  which 
were  new,  and  returned  to  the  ancient  system,  such  as 
existed  in  the  first  ages  of  the  church  among  the  disci- 
ples of  Christ,  and  we  took  the  gospel  and  the  Old  Tes- 
tament for  our  guide,  which  were  of  oldr 

Abouna  Saba  went  on  asking  about  the  course  in 
America  of  collegiate  and  theological  study,  and  seemed 
surprised  to  hear  the  Bible  was  received  as  ultimate  au- 
thority. 

With  regard  to  the  Druses,  Abouna  said  that  he  had 
seen  some  of  their  books,  and  that  they  in  reality  wor- 
ship the  light,  and  have  the  image  of  an  ox  to  represent 
power ;  that  when  one  of  them  becomes  of  the  number 
of  those  called  Aakel,  or  Aakelin,  there  is  an  apparent 
chano-e  in  his  conduct  for  the  better.  He  then  leaves  off 
smoking  tobacco,  swearing,  and  every  vice,  however  aban- 
doned he  may  have  been  before.   This  change  he  thought 


LIFE  IN  PALESTINE  CONTINUED.         169 

was  merely  external.  Very  little  can  be  known  of  them. 
They  have  houses  for  worship,  but  no  one  can  enter  them 
except  Druses. 

The  teacher  whom  Dr.  King  engaged  at  Damascus 
to  give  him  lessons  in  Arabic  did  so  in  true  ancient 
style.  His  scholars  were  obliged  literally  to  sit  at  his 
feet,  while  he  sat  as  if  lord  of  the  world.  He  was  a  firm 
believer  in  genii,  some  of  which  he  said  were  under  his 
control. 

It  was  not  possible  for  a  stranger  to  remain  in  Da- 
mascus during  July  and  August  on  account  of  fevers,  so 
that  Dr.  King  could  not  very  long  avail  himself  of  the 
service  of  the  above  distinguished  professor,  and  soon 
left  for  Aleppo — just  before  going  having  an  interview 
with  a  very  intelligent  Jew,  who  claimed  to  be  a  lineal 
descendant  of  David,  and  to  whom  Dr.  King  enlarged  on 
the  story  of  Saul's  conversion  near  the  ancient  city  where 
they  now  were. 

On  the  journey  Dr.  King  had  a  talk  with  some  well- 
informed  Mussulmans,  whom,  however,  it  was  difficult  to 
convince  that  all  Christians  were  not  the  idolaters  which, 
from  their  personal  knowledge  of  those  so  called,  they 
believed  them  to  be. 

Hooms,  now  written  Hums,  and  the  seat  of  encour- 
aging mission  work,  was  passed  on  the  way.  Hamah, 
also,  the  ancient  pass  of  Hamath,  with  its  musical  water- 
wheels,  utilizing  the  waters  of  the  Orontes,  was  a  point 
of  great  interest.  Here,  too,  were  found  priests  who  were 
great  sticklers  for  the  Apocrypha,  while  yet  the  mission- 
ary, like  Lot,  could  not  but  be  vexed  with  their  filthy 


I70  yONAS  KING. 

conversation.  Indeed,  descriptions  were  given  by  them 
of  deeds  so  unlawful,  so  unmentionably  wicked,  as  proved 
to  our  traveller  that  he  was  indeed  passing  through  some 
of  the  dark  places  of  the  earth.  There  seemed  little  hope 
nf  making  impression  on  men  so  thoroughly  defiled;  yet 
to  some  of  the  early  believers  in  Christ  did  the  apostle 
say,  "  But  such  were  some  of  you." 

The  journey  physically  was  a  trying  one,  from  sand 
and  heat  and  burning  winds ;  yet  while  thinking  of  rich 
people  in  Boston  and  elsewhere,  Dr.  King  writes  of  being 
happy.  "  I  would  not  change  places  with  them.  I  would 
indeed  be  willing  to  change  for  a  little  time,  that  they 
might  see  that  missionaries  have  something  to  suffer. 
Many  of  our  dear  friends,  could  they  see  us  here  to-day, 
would  think  that  we  could  not  live." 

When  arrived  at  Aleppo  word  was  received  that  fur- 
ther distribution  of  the  Bible  was  forbidden :  copies  al- 
ready given  out  were  to  be  collected  and  sent  back  to 
England.  Dr.  King  writes  :  "  I  have  no  doubt  that  the 
Roman-catholics  have  caused  this  order."  One  of  them 
afterwards  acknowledged  that  a  .communication  on  the 
subject  had  been  sent  to  the  headquarters  of  the  Greek 
church,  Constantinople.  "  Mr.  Lesseps,  the  French  con- 
sul," whose  son  Theodore  is  also  mentioned,  "  called,  and 
in  conversation  said  he  would  do  all  in  his  power  to  pre- 
vent anything  which  could  in  the  least  tend  to  injure  the 
Catholic  church  ;  and  avowed  that  it  was  according  to 
the  principles  of  his  church  not  to  put  the  Bible  into  the 
hands  of  the  common  people,  and  that  they  ought  to 
believe  according  to  what  the  priests  tell  them.     What  a 


LIFE  IN  PALESTINE  CONTINUED.         171 

disgrace  to  a  man  of  his  standing  in  tlie  nineteenth  cen- 
tury !" 

Sept.  19,  1824.  "  The  French  consul  read  me  a  letter 
which  he  had  just  received  from  a  captain  of  a  French 
vessel  at  Alexandretta,  stating  that  on  his  way  from  Cy- 
prus he  had  fallen  in  with  a  Greek  cruiser,  who  hailed 
him  and  ordered  him  to  stop ;  that  he  did  so  about  5 
p.  M. ;  that  the  Greek  cruiser  told  him  he  had  many  Turks 
on  board,  which  he  intended  to  massacre  that  night,  but 
that  he  would  sell  them  if  the  French  captain  would  buy 
them.  He  bought  five  for  fifty  dollars.  Twenty  remain- 
ed. While  buying  those  five  he  heard  some  one  from  the 
Greek  ship  crying  out  in  French,  *  Au,  nom  de  Dieu, 
achetez-moi  et  sauvez-moi.'  The  French  captain  de- 
manded if  he  were  French.  He  replied,  '  No,  but  a  Jew 
doctor  well  known  at  Aleppo.'  It  must  have  been  Lay- 
bach.  Upon  this  the  French  captain  offered  to  buy  him, 
but  the  Greek  captain  refused  to  sell,  saying  that  he 
meant  to  kill  him  that  night  with  the  twenty  Turks  who 
remained.  My  heart  was  much  pained  at  this  intelli- 
gence. Dr.  Laybach  had  bought  of  me,  two  or  three 
days  before  leaving  Aleppo,  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ments in  Hebrew  and  the  New  Testament  also  in  French. 
This  was  about  three  weeks  since." 

Antioch  was  the  next  place  visited.  At  this  birth- 
place of  the  Christian  name  no  Christian  church  remains. 
A  few  Greeks  meet  for  worship  in  a  grotto  or  hole  in  the 
rock.  Here  Dr.  King  learned,  in  regard  to  the  late  Fir- 
man of  the  Grand  Seigneur,  that  the  governor  of  Damas- 
cus had  sent  messengers  after  him  in  the  v.-rons:  direc- 


172  yOxVAS  KING. 

tion,  and  the  order  soon  became  a  dead  letter.  Mr.  Tur- 
ner, British  charge  at  Constantinople,  took  a  firm  stand, 
claiming  that  the  Turkish  government  had  no  right  to 
destroy  English  Bibles  any  more  than  any  other  kind  of 
British  property.  These  were  dangerous  times  in  the 
East.  Death  by  poison  of  men  of  high  position  was  not 
unusual.  Just  after  that  of  the  Reverendissimo  of  Jeru- 
salem, as  strongly  suspected  in  this  manner,  a  French 
marquis,  a  Roman-catholic,  was  attacked  by  seventy 
Turks,  who  beat  him,  bruised  him,  and  carried  him  by 
night,  bareheaded,  to  Jaffa,  not  for  having  made  any  re- 
marks implying  this,  but  for  having  heard  them. 

Not  far  from  Antioch,  near  Swedia,  are  "  the  ruins  of 
a  church  on  Mount  Simeon,  so  called,  I  suppose,  from 
Simeon  the  Stylite,  who  remained  thirty-seven  years  on  a 
pillar,  and  was  the  founder  of  that  order  of  monks  termed 
Stylites,  or  Pillar  Saints.  The  pillar  is  still  standing,  I 
am  told,  in  the  midst  of  the  ruins  of  the  church." 

From  Beyrout  Dr.  King  wrote  immediately,  through 
Colonel  Greaves,  to  the  trustees  of  Amherst  College,  rec- 
ognizing his  engagement  to  return  to  them,  while  he  still 
wished  to  qualify  himself  further  for  his  duties  as  their 
professor.  As  many  otherwise  intelligent  Protestants 
doubt  the  need  of  sending  the  gospel  to  nominal 
Christians  in  the  East,  it  may  be  well  to  insert  here 
a  synopsis,  according  to  J.  Agrarius,  of  the  Armenian 
creed. 

1.  Christ  is  the  Head  of  the  church. 

2.  Gregorius  is  their  principal  saint. 

3.  They  ask  of  the  Virgin  Mary  and  the  saints  that 


LIFE  IN  PALESTINE  CONTINUED.         173 

they  would  intercede  for  them  with  Jesus  Christ  and  with 
God. 

4.  They  pray  for  the  dead,  and  receive  money  for 
doing  so. 

They  pray  for  those  who  die  in  India,  in  Russia,  in 
Angora,  in  Constantinople,  and  other  places,  and  send 
every  three  years  to  receive  the  money  from  the  friends 
of  the  deceased.  This  money  is  for  the  poor  priests  at 
Jerusalem.  They  have  twelve  patriarchates,  over  whom 
the  grand  patriarch  is  like  a  pope.  They  do  not  profess 
to  believe  in  purgatory,  but  their  prayers  for  the  dead 
imply  it.  They  baptize  infants  by  three  immersions,  like 
the  Greeks ;  cross  the  child  with  oil  in  his  face,  his 
hands,  his  breast,  his  eyes,  and  his  ears,  then  put  in  his 
mouth  a  little  of  the  sacramental  bread  and  wine  and 
take  it  out  again.  They  have  secret  confession  ;  they 
believe  in  the  Real  Presence,  but  do  not  take  money  for 
pardons. 

Dr.  King  writes  with  regard  to  one  of  the  bishops, 
that  towards  the  close  of  a  conversation  he  seemed  to 
comprehend  what  was  meant  by  being  born  again  and 
about  salvation  as  wholly  the  gift  of  God.  "  I  could  not 
but  be  affected  myself  on  thinking  of  the  state  of  the 
Armenian  church  when  I  heard  one  of  her  most  intelli- 
gent bishops  asking  me,  like  a  little  child,  about  some  of 
the  first  and  plainest  doctrines  taught  in  the  gospel.  He 
says  that  the  only  preaching  they  ever  have  is  about  ab- 
staining from  certain  kinds  of  food  on  fast-days  :  *  Oh, 
my  brethren,  if  you  eat  such  and  such  things  on  such  a 
day  you  will  go  to  hell.' " 

15- 


174  JONAS  KING. 

January,  1825,  found  our  missionary  studying  at  Tyre. 
Here  he  became  acquainted  with  an  old  Greek  priest 
named  Antinous,  one  of  the  few  who  escaped  the  terrible 
massacre  at  Scio,  from  which  a  few  Greek  boys  were  also 
preserved  and  sent  to  America  for  education,  one  of 
whom,  Dr.  Alexander  George  Paspati,  is  well  known  at 
Constantinople. 

It  was  common  at  this  time  for  the  Turks  to  go  beg- 
ging food  from  the  Greeks,  and  then  to  ask  pay  for  the 
use  of  their  own  teeth  in  chewing  it. 

Dr.  King  again  attempted  to  establish  a  school  for 
girls,  but  the  priests  and  people  said,  "  Women  have 
small  minds.  If  taught  to  read,  they  would  be  devils." 
Some  young  men  said  that  they  would  put  away  their 
espoused  wives,  if  taught  to  read.  Reports  that  the 
missionaries  bought  converts,  and  took  portraits  of  them 
to  be  shot  at  in  case  of  retraction,  and  that  this  would 
cause  death  and  earthquake,  interfered  with  efforts  made 
for  the  instruction  of  even  the  boys.  Yet  bright  spots 
often  cheered  Dr.  King's  heart ;  as  when,  after  a  long 
talk,  an  Arab  sheikh  kneeled  in  prayer,  and  again  when 
a  warm  welcome  greeted  him  from  some  Greek  priests 
upon  his  return  to  Jerusalem. 

Here  the  influences  of  the  place,  ever  fresh,  led  to 
a  season  of  self-examination,  during  which  Di;  King 
writes  most  bitter  things  against  himself,  acknowl- 
edging that  every  good  thing  in  him  was  a  gift  from 
above,  and  writes  :  "  Here,  on  Calvary,  and  at  the  foot  of 
Thy  cross,  I  wholly  discard  all  right  and  title  to  merit  or 
favor  in  Thy  sight,  by  anything  I  ever  have  done,  or  ever 


LIFE  IN  PALESTINE  CONTINUED.         175 

can  do."  These  heart-searchings  seem  to  have  led  him 
on  to  more  absolute  dependence  on  our  Lord,  and  conse- 
cration to  his  service. 

Scenes  connected  with  the  taking  of  Jerusalem  un- 
der Titus  were  forcibly  recalled,  as  the  day  arrived, 
when  the  pasha  of  Damascus,  with  two  or  three  thou- 
sand soldiers,  made  his  yearly  claim  for  tribute.  Mus- 
sulmans and  Christians  all  fled  from  the  villages  on  his 
approach. 

On  March  31,  1825,  the  theatrical  representations  of 
our  Saviour's  crucifixion  led  the  missionary  to  protest 
more  strongly  than  ever  against  the  errors  of  that  reli- 
gion which  for  popular  effect  turned  the  most  sublime 
events  of  time  into  absurdity. 

A  bright  sunbeam  came  now  from  Egypt,  a  letter 
from  Mr.  John  Glidden,  telling  of  his  own  and  his  wife's 
conversion  by  the  influence  of  Dr.  King  and  his  fellow- 
laborers,  together  with  the  bereavement  of  a  dear  child. 
Sunday,  January  3,  Dr.  King  was  privileged  to  preach 
on  Calvary,  from  the  specially  appropriate  text,  "And 
when  they  were  come  to  the  place  which  is  called  Cal- 
vary, there  they  crucified  Him,"  the  first  Protestant  ser- 
mon probably  ever  delivered  there  in  the  current  lan- 
guage of  the  country.  The  next  day,  the  Monthly 
Concert  was  observed  for  the  third  time  in  this  sacred 
spot.  This,  however,  was  not  done  without  enduring 
some  "  contradiction  of  sinners,"  one  of  the  Turks  du- 
ring the  closing  hymn  even  striking  Mr.  Fisk  with  his 
gun  ;  and  at  the  convent  of  the  Terra  Santa,  it  was  not 
safe  to  accept  even  a  cup  of  coffee,  for  fear  of  its  con- 


176  yONAS  KING. 

taining  poison.  The  Jews  also  suffered  greatly.  Rabbi 
Mendel  and  forty  others  were  bound  with  chains  on  their 
necks  and  legs,  until  some  exorbitant  demand  was  paid. 

Jerusalem  was  just  now  literally  in  tears,  as  described 
by  Jeremiah,  the  oppression  of  the  modern  Benhadad, 
Mustapha  Pasha,  was  so  crushing.  The  superior  of  one 
convent  received  five  hundred  blows  on  his  feet,  in  order 
to  make  him  give  up  treasures  concealed  under  his  care. 
Forty  men  were  employed  to  beat  him.  After  this 
he  was  left  bareheaded  on  the  ground,  without  any  sus- 
tenance but  water,  for  three  days  and  three  nights,  with 
a  rope  about  his  neck. 

Dr.  King,  knowing  the  interest  that  would  be  attach- 
ed at  that  time  to  letters  penned  upon  Mount  Calvary, 
took  especial  pains  to  write  to  friends  at  home,  and  in 
Europe,  thus  strengthening  greatly  their  missionary  zeal, 
as  well  as  their  personal  interest  in  himself.  Among 
other  things,  he  writes  that  he  accounts  for  the  extra 
wickedness  of  the  people  living  near  the  sacred  places 
in  Syria,  from  the  fact  that  they  depend  on  these  places, 
and  not  on  Christ  himself.  Also  that  he  becomes  more 
and  more  convinced  that  the  same  divine  Spirit  is  re- 
quired to  renew  the  hearts  of  men  everywhere,  whether 
among  Greeks,  "  Cretes  and  Arabians,"  Americans  or 
Englishmen.  He  also  gives  his  plans  for  the  immediate 
future,  as  the  three  years  he  had  engaged  to  spend  in 
these  Oriental  lands  had  about  expired,  which  plans 
were  to  visit,  before  returning  to  America,  some  parts 
of  Europe,  everywhere  preaching  the  gospel. 

To  a  former  classmate,  Rev.  Orville  Dewey,  who  had 


LIFE  IN  PALESTINE  CONTINUED.         177 

subsided  into  Unitarianism,  after  referring  to  early  asso- 
ciations, and  to  fears  long  ago  that  his  friend  was  in- 
clined to  speak  "  smooth  things,"  Dr.  King  writes : 
"  Judge  then  of  my  surprise,  when  I  learned  that  you 
were  doubting  of  the  divinity  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the  author  and  finisher  of  the  Chris- 
tian's hope,  the  alpha  and  omega  of  all  things,  the  root 
and  the  offspring  of  David,  the  creator  of  the  heavens 
and  the  earth,  the  brightness  of  the  glory  of  the  invisi- 
ble God,  the  judge  of  the  quick  and  the  dead,  the  adora- 
tion of  the  angelic  hosts,  and  the  everlasting  song  of  the 
redeemed  in  heaven. 

"I  said,  'this  is  only  a  temporary  falling  away;  like 
Peter,  he  will  presently  weep  bitterly !  The  great  Shep- 
herd will  yet  bring  him  back  to  his  fold,  and  not  suffer 
him  to  wander  and  perish.'  But  I  hear  that  after  so 
long  a  time  you  are  still  in  doubt,  or  rather  that  you 
have  entirely  cast  off  your  first  faith  as  it  respects  Jesus 
Christ.  You  perhaps  say  that  you  still  trust  in  him,  al- 
though he  be  but  a  man.  But  remember  that  it  is  writ- 
ten, '  Cursed  be  he  that  trusteth  in  man,  or  maketh  flesh 
his  arm.'  You  will  say,  perhaps,  that  he  is  super-angelic. 
Be  it  so.  But  if  he  be  not  the  everlasting  God,  you  make 
him  a  liar,  for  he  has  said,  *  He  that  hath  seen  me,  hath 
seen  the  Father.'  I  will  not  here  attempt,  as  it  would 
probably  be  in  vain,  after  all  your  advantages  of  study 
and  research  in  theological  subjects,  to  adduce  proof  of 
the  Divinity,  I  mean  the  Godhead  of  Christ.  With  you, 
I  deem  it  not  so  much  the  work  of  reason,  but  of  the 
heart,  to  bring  you  back  to  the  sinner's  only  hope. 


178  yONAS  KING. 

"  This  from  your  friend  and  servant  on  Calvary,  who 
knows  and  feels  and  acknowledges  himself  to  be  one  of 
the  greatest  of  sinners,  and  whose  only  hope  is  in  that 
precious  blood  which  was  here  shed  for  the  redemption 
of  man." 

May  9,  1825,  Dr.  King  turned  his  face  homeward, 
leaving  Jerusalem  with  some  difficulty,  on  account  of  po- 
litical troubles  there.  The  journey  was  not  made  in  a 
Pullman  palace-car.  One  day,  dry  thistles  and  onions 
were  the  only  food  procurable.  The  same  night  the 
tents  were  attacked  by  robbers,  who  got  off  with  a  trunk 
belonging  to  the  Englishman,  Rev.  Mr.- Lewis,  around 
which  three  men  were  sleeping.  Attempts  to  regain 
this  trunk  led  to  difficulties  with  the  Arabs,  who  soon 
after  attacked  the  travellers  with  swords  and  clubs,  and 
yelling  like  so  many  furies,  riding  upon  their  swift  horses 
as  they  rushed  upon  the  tents.  Dr.  King  had  heard 
the  alarm,  and  galloped  forward,  but  a  sheikh  came  fly- 
ing after  him,  and  he  called  out,  "  Brother,  do  me  no 
harm,  I  have  not  injured  you."  The  Arab  let  down  his 
sword.  It  seems  that  he  had  heard  that  Dr.  King  was  a 
great  man,  travelling  with  a  firman  from  Abdallah  Pasha. 
No  wonder  the  Journal  of  this  day  is  full  of  praise. 
"  He  delivered  me  from  my  strong  enemy."  No  lives 
were  lost  on  this  occasion. 

The  way  now  led  through  Cana  of  Galilee,  to  the  Sea 
of  Galilee,  descriptions  of  which  have  now  become  famil- 
iar. A  church  at  Tiberias  was  built  in  form  of  a  boat, 
in  memory  of  St.  Peter's  boat.  The  priest  said  that  un- 
der the  altar  was  the  stone  on  v/hich  St.  Peter  was  when 


LIFE  IN  PALESTINE  CONTINUED.         179 

the  Lord  said,  "  On  this  rock  will  I  build  my  church." 
The  people  "  were  all  praying  with  united  vociferation, 
beating  their  heads,  jumping,  weeping,  stretching  up 
their  hands  towards  heaven,  as  if  to  pull  down  mercies 
thence,  then  suddenly  bowing  and  crying  aloud  in  the 
most  lamentable  tones  of  voice;  clasping  their  heads 
with  both  hands,  sobbing  and  smiting  their  breasts,  reel- 
ing to  and  fro,  and  in  various  ways  making  violent  exer- 
tion. Poor  Jews  !  the  veil  is  still  upon  their  hearts !  I 
longed  to  tell  them  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  call  on  them  to 
believe  in  him  whom  their  fathers  crucified." 

Passing  through  Safed  and  Tyre,  Dr.  King  came  again 
to  Beyrout,  and  says :  "  The  more  I  see  of  Palestine,  the 
more  I  see  that  it  is  a  goodly  land,  and  capable  of  sus- 
taining an  immense  population."  Letters  here  from  his 
aged  parents  greatly  cheered  his  heart,  telling  as  they 
did  of  the  faithful  kindness  of  his  friend  and  their  son, 
S.  V.  S.  Wilder,  who  had  well  redeemed  the  pledge  made 
by  him  in  Paris  nearly  three  years  before.  There  were 
letters  also  from  Mr.  Wilder  and  Dr.  Heman  Humphrey, 
president  of  Amherst  College,  expressing  willingness  to 
have  their  professor  of  Oriental  Literature  remain  away 
still  longer,  if  thus  better  able  to  promote  the  cause  of 
Christ;  while  yet  they  felt  that  his  presence  would  be  of 
essential  help  in  making  Amherst  College  what  Dr. 
Humphrey  writes  it  would  be,  'and  must  be,  one  of  the 
first  colleges  in  New  England.'  " 

Simple  incidents  alone  of  the  homeward  journey  can 
be  given.  At  Beyrout  he  was  not  satisfied  to  rest  in  the 
enjoyment  of  the  society  of  his  friends,  the  American 


I  So  ^O.VAS  KFKG. 

missionaries,  but  sought  to  acquaint  himself  still  more 
fully  with  the  customs  of  the  Turks,  having  in  all  an  eye 
to  the  great  object  of  his  life  ;  and  he  began  also  to  write 
a  grammar  in  Syriac.  His  teacher,  the  priest  Asaad  el 
Shidiak,  afterwards  better  known  as  the  Martyr  of  Leb- 
anon, now  appears  on  the  scene,  and  is  soon  forbidden 
by  one  who  signs  himself,  Aug.  12,  1825,  "the  contempt- 
ible Joseph  Peter,  patriarch  of  Antioch,"  to  have  any 
intercourse  with  "  these  men,"  viz.,  the  missionaries. 
Another  firman  was  soon  issued  by  the  Grand  Seignior, 
warning  every  one  against  these  books.  Dr.  King 
sent  out  a  reply,  defending,  by  testimony  from  the 
early  Fathers,  the  Canon  of  Scripture  as  issued  by 
the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  as  free  from  the 
apocryphal  writings  so  much  insisted  on  by  the  Greek 
church. 

As  rejoinder  to  Dr.  King's  reply,  came  another  mani- 
festo, commencing  in  a  style  proving  that  pure  transcen- 
dentalism is  not  indigenous  to  Boston  or  New  England 
soil :  "  In  the  name  of  the  Eternal  Being,  the  Necessary  of 
Existence,  the  Almighty;  the  Contemptible  Ignatius 
Peter,  patriarch  of  Antioch  and  of  the  Syrians."  The 
paper  sought  to  justify  the  patriarch  in  his  failure  to 
carry  out  an  agreement  made  with  some  English  Chris- 
tians, which  has  already  been  noticed,  and  it  still  more 
positively  forbade  the  people  to  receive  the  Bible  or  any 
books  from  the  missionaries. 

These  special  efforts  of  the  priesthood  were  over- 
ruled for  good  in  a  way  which  time  alone  has  helped  to 
bring  to  view,  for  they  led  to  the  writing  by  Dr.  King  of 


LIFE  IN  PALESTINE  CONTINUED.         i8i 

his  now  celebrated  "  Farewell  letter  to  his  friends  in 
Palestine  and  Syria,"  which  through  all  these  years  has 
proved  a  shaft  of  wonderful  power,  and  which  our  mod- 
ern hiissionaries  still  retain  in  their  armory,  not  as  a  relic 
of  the  past,  but  rather  as  a  weapon  well  fitted  for  the 
present  conflict. 

A  letter,  very  sad,  as  showing  determinate  enmity  to 
our  blessed  Lord,  just  now  came  from  Lady  Hester  Stan- 
hope, from  Djaun  Lebanon,  in  answer  to  one  of  sympa- 
thy from  Dr.  King,  on  occasion  of  the  death  of  her 
brother.  She  says :  "  I  should  have  liked  your  letter 
better,  had  you  not  talked  of  Jesus  Christ,  in  whom  I 
shall  never  believe,  and  that  you  know ;  therefore  never 
preach  to  me  any  more  upon  that  subject,  for  it  will  be 
perfectly  useless.  The  future  will  prove  who  is  right ; 
till  then  let  the  matter  rest,  with  me  at  least.  Your 
own  book,  the  Bible,  gives  no  mathematical  proof  of 
what  you  wish  to  inculcate." 

In  contrast  to  this,  came  a  visit  paid  to  a  Christian 
emir  and  his  father,  who  had  had  their  eyes  burnt  out 
and  their  tongues  cut  off  the  winter  before,  by  the  Emir 
Bushir.  As  in  the  case  of  Milton,  so  much  the  more 
the  true  light  shone  in  them,  and  strange  to  say,  their 
articulation  was  still  almost  perfect. 

A  record  here  appears  in  detail  of  Bibles  and  tracts 
distributed  in  the  East  by  Messrs.  Wolff,  Fisk,  Goodell, 
Bird,  and  King,  from  1822  to  1825,  amounting  to  3,329 
Bibles  or  parts  of  Bibles,  and  13,800  tracts,  making  with 
those  already  given  out  by  Messrs.  Fisk  and  Parsons, 
4,000  copies  of  the  Bible,  and  20,000  tracts,  besides  those 

Jonas  K;n„-.  16 


1 82  yONAS  KING. 

circulated  by  Mr.  Temple.     We  now  begin  to  see  the 
harvest  from  this  seed  sown  fifty  years  ago. 

Dr.  King  closes  Vol.  IV.  of  his  journal,  "Let  not 
missionaries  or  missionary  societies  be  discouraged,  be- 
cause they  see  no  present  fruits  of  their  labor.  They 
shall  reap  in  due  season,  if  they  faint  not." 


HOMEWARD  THROUGH  EUROPE.         1S3 


CHAPTER    XII. 

HOMEWARD  THROUGH  EUROPE. 

Asia  Minor — Death  of  Pliny  Fisk— Smyrna — Spain — Nismes — 
Paris — Duke  de  Broglie — Louis  Philippe — Lafayette — Count 
Verhuell — Countess  of  St.  Aulaire — Visits  in  England — Hannah 
More. 

Dr.  King  left  Bey  rout  for  Smyrna,  Sept.  26,  1825,  in 
company  with  an  English  nobleman  and  his  suite,  some 
of  whom,  infidel  as  to  religion,  sought  to  entangle  the 
missionary  in  his  talk.  One  of  them  died  within  a  few 
days,  of  malignant  fever,  without  apparent  knowledge  of 
his  danger.  He  had  asked  that  no  clergyman  should  ever 
be  sent  for  to  visit  him,  if  sick.  Reason  was  taken  away 
almost  from  the  first.  All  that  Dr.  King  could  do,  at 
the  funeral,  was  to  seek  to  impress  the  truth  upon  the 
rest  of  the  hitherto  gay  company. 

A  stop  was  made  at  Tarsus,  and  a  visit  paid  to  the  falls 
of  the  Cydnus,  so  full  of  association  with  the  brief  and 
brilliant  career  of  Alexander  the  Great,  and  the  early 
aspirations  of  the  boy  Saul  of  Tarsus.  The  journey  was 
pressed  onward  through  Asia  Minor.  One  can  well  ima- 
gine the  many  points  of  interest :  old  volcanoes  and  ruins 
of  places  now  scarcely  known.  Danger  of  attack  by  rob- 
bers supplied  a  dash  of  excitement.  In  one  place  the 
travellers  passed  about  a  hundred  and  fifty  graves  of  men 
who  had  been  murdered  quite  recently.     Lord  St.   A. 


i84  yONAS  KING. 

said  that  in  case  of  difficulty,  he  was  ready  to  turn  Mus- 
sulman ;  but  neither  this  willingness,  nor  the  better 
resolution  of  the  missionary  to  trust  in  God,  was  brought 
to  the  test. 

At  Buluwaden,  the  party  "  took  lodgings  in  a  khan, 
which  had  one  tolerable  room,  but  it  was  so  full  of  Turks 
and  Rayahs,  that  we  concluded  to  sleep  in  the  stable 
where  our  horses  were.  Indeed,  one  part  of  the  stable 
was  intended  for  men,  and  had  six  or  seven  chimneys  or 
fireplaces.  At  our  feet  as  we  lay  down  horses  might  have 
been  fed.  This  came  nearer  to  what  I  used  to  suppose 
an  oriental  khan  to  be,  than  any  I  have  seen  before  in 
this  country.  I  could  not  but  think  of  Him  who  was 
*  wrapped  in  swaddling  clothes,  and  laid  in  a  manger.' " 

A  curious  superstition  was  found  attached  to  a  spring 
about  three  feet  in  diameter,  which  bubbled  and  whirled 
at  the  top  of  a  mound,  as  if  from  intense  heat,  but  still 
was  cold.  The  Turks  consult  it  when  about  to  buy  a 
horse.  In  such  a  case  they  "  pile  up  three  stones,  one 
upon  another,  then  hold  a  cloth  or  the  corner  of  a  hand- 
kerchief in  the  water  for  one  or  two  minutes.  On 
taking  out  the  cloth  they  find  a  small  hair  attached  to  it, 
and  the  color  of  this  hair  shows  them,  they  say,  what  color 
the  horse  ought  to  be." 

The  name  of  Philadelphia  was  found  most  appropri- 
ately to  be  "Allah  Shahein,"  "the  city  of  God,  for  he 
that  dwelleth  in  love  dwelleth  in  God."  And  in  its 
ruins  was  a  striking  fulfilment  of  the  prophecy  relating 
to  the  church  there.     Rev.  3:12. 

Upon    arriving   at    Smyrna,   eighty- nine    days   after 


HOMEWARD  THROUGH  EUROPE.         185 

leaving  Beyrout,  sad  news  met  the  homeward  bound 
missionary.  The  vessel  of  Lord  St.  A.  which,  after  land- 
ing the  passengers  at  Tarsus,  was  to  make  its  way  round 
to  meet  them  at  Smyrna,  had  been  taken  by  the  Greeks, 
and  stripped  of  everything,  including  Dr.  King's  books, 
manuscripts,  minerals  and  clothing.  Making  the  journey 
by  land  had  been  the  means  of  preserving  their  lives. 
Some  of  the  boxes  were  afterwards  recovered.  Upon 
opening  them.  Dr.  King  writes,  "  Many  of  my  beautiful 
Korans  and  Arabic  manuscripts,  and  Syriac  and  Persian 
books  were  gone,  or  torn  in  pieces,  and  the  greater  part 
of  my  letters,  I  believe.  I  however  found  the  most  im- 
portant of  my  journals  and  private  writings."  But  there 
was  a  greater  trial.  Pliny  Fisk  was  gone  ;  the  dear 
friend,  whom  Dr.  King  had  left  in  perfect  health,  had  fin- 
ished his  work  on  earth.  At  the  grave  of  Parsons  the 
two  had  sung, "  Brother,  thou  art  gone  before  us."  Now 
the  survivor  was  left  to  sing  alone,  "  Brethren,  ye  have 
gone  before  me."  The  fact  was  one  difficult  to  realize. 
Here  at  hand  were  freshly  written  letters  from  Pliny  Fisk, 
full  of  love  to  the  dear  friend  who  had  come  for  three 
years  to  his  aid  in  mission  work.  But  one  of  those  insid- 
ious eastern  fevers,  at  first  scarcely  threatening  danger, 
had  suddenly  done  its  office,  giving  however  this  servant 
of  God  time  to  write  a  second  letter  as  follows : 

"My  beloved  brother  King:  Little  did  we  think 
when  we  parted,  that  the  first,  or  nearly  the  first  intelli- 
gence concerning  me,  would  be  the  news  of  my  death; 
yet  this  is  likely  to  be  the  case.  I  write  you  as  from  my 
dyifig  bed.     The  Saviour,  whom  I  have  so  imperfectly 

16* 


1 86  yONAS  KING. 

served,  I  trust  now  grants  me  his  aid,  and  to  his  faith- 
ful care  I  commit  my  immortal  spirit.  May  your  life  be 
prolonged  and  be  made  abundantly  useful.  Live  a  life 
of  prayer.  Let  your  conversation  be  in  heaven.  Labor 
abundantly  for  Christ.  Whatever  treatment  you  meet 
with,  whatever  difficulties  you  encounter,  whatever  vexa- 
tions fall  to  your  lot,  and  from  whatever  source,  possess 
your  soul  in  patience,  yea,  let  patience  have  her  perfect 
work. 

"  I  think  of  you  now  with  my  dying  breath,  and  remem- 
ber many  happy  hours  we  have  spent  together.  And  I 
die  in  the  glorious  hope  of  meeting  you,  where  we  shall 
be  freed  from  all  sin.  Till  that  happy  meeting,  dear 
brother,  farewell. 

"P.  FISK." 

Dr.  King's  long  term  of  service  is  in  accordance  with 
the  above  dying  prayer. 

At  Smyrna,  Jan.  19,  1826,  a  Greek  family  named 
Mengous,  knowing  of  Dr.  King's  great  desire  to  speak 
the  Greek  language  not  only  with  correctness  but  with 
elegance,  consented  to  receive  him  under  their  roof, 
wishing  in  return  to  perfect  themselves  in  English. 
This  removal  is  important  only  in  relation  to  ensuing- 
events.  If  the  young  American  learned  things  other 
than  Greek  in  this  hospitable  mansion,  it  is  not  to  be 
wondered  at  by  those  who  knew  of  the  extreme  attrac- 
tiveness of  the  daughter  of  the  house. 

Notwithstanding  Dr.  King's  acquaintance  thus  with 
one  of  the  best  families  in  the  place,  his  name  was  by 
order  of  the  bishop,  read  out  in  the  French  and  Italian 


HOMEWARD  THROUGH  EUROPE.         187 

churches,  as  "  an  American  who  distributed  bad  books, 
contrary  to  church  and  religion,  and  that  it  was  a  sin  to 
read  them." 

In  a  different  spirit  came  a  letter,  written,  the  day 
after  Dr.  King  had  preached  on  board  the  United  States 
corvette  Erie,  by  Dorotheos  Papa  Michael,  who  was 
present  with  other  Greeks  on  that  occasion. 

"  Eloquent  and  venerable  man,  Mr.  King,  all  hail ! 
Many  times  before,  my  friend,  and  especially  yesterday, 
I  could  not  but  wonder  at  the  zeal  which  you  have  in 
preaching  the  word  of  God ;  nor  less  could  I  help  prais- 
ing the  density  of  your  ideas ;  from  thence  auguring  con- 
cerning the  gigantic  steps  which  your  mission  has  made, 
is  making,  and  will  make. 

"  The  fear  of  God,  my  friend,  united  with  upright 
words,  and  with  sincere  searching  for  the  truth,  are  truly 
those  energetic  means  by  which  everything  may  be  ac- 
complished. Want  of  time  does  not  permit  to  praise  also 
the  zeal,  which  yesterday  I  witnessed  in  the  great  atten- 
tion of  the  sons  of  America  to  your  words,  sure  and  in- 
contestable signs  of  internal  worship  and  of  a  continued 
returning  of  the  heart  [towards  God]. 

"  My  friend,  may  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  the  love  of  God  the  Father,  and  the  communion  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  be  with  us  all.  So  let  it  be.  Farewell. 
"DOROTHEOS  PAPA  MICHAEL." 

To  Smyrna,  Dr.  Wolff  also  soon  came,  and  the  work 
of  distributing  tracts  was  carried  on  as  before  in  Egypt 
and  Syria. 


1 88  yONAS  KING. 

M.  J.  Van  Lennep's  name  now  appears,  representing 
a  family  planted  in  Eastern  Asia  Minor,  and  owned  of 
God  for  the  furtherance  of  the  Gospel. 

After  about  five  months  stay  in  Smyrna,  Dr.  King 
saw  the  way  clear  to  continue  his  journey,  passing  Mag- 
nesia, now  a  mission  station,  on  his  way  to  Constantino- 
ple. At  Thyatira,  he  was  told  that  tracts  left  there  by 
Messrs.  Fisk  and  Parsons  had  been  read  by  more  than 
two  hundred  persons. 

Dr.  King  arrived  at  Constantinople,  taking  lodgings 
in  Pera,  just  after  the  surprising  stroke  by  which  the 
Sultan  had  relieved  himself  of  the  Janizaries.  Over 
7,000  of  them  perished  in  a  single  massacre,  on  occasion 
of  some  too  extortionate  demand  made  by  them. 

Turkish  law  was  so  stringent  in  regard  to  the  Greeks, 
that  Dr.  King  could  not  pursue  his  Greek  studies  in 
Constantinople  to  advantage,  and  consequently  returned 
to  Smyrna — glad  to  leave  a  place  which,  although  he  was 
treated  there  with  great  kindness  by  the  English  resi- 
dents, he  yet  found  to  be  a  city  "  full  of  oppression,  de- 
ceit, and  false  religion,  of  confusion,  plague,  and  death." 

"  Fuit  Ilium  "  seemed  the  most  appropriate  passing 
remark,  as  a  few  tumuli  were  seen  in  the  distance  on  the 
plains  of  Troy. 

Smyrna  friends  gave  him  a  most  cordial  welcome,  and 
mission  work  was  resumed  there  for  a  time,  soon  inter- 
rupted by  the  arrival  of  the  "  Erie,"  whose  officers  pressed 
Dr.  King  to  join  their  mess,  either  to  Mahon,  or  to 
America.  This  invitation  it  seemed  wise  to  accept,  and 
Dr.  King  bade  farewell  to  the  lands  of  the  East. 


HOMEWARD  THROUGH  EUROPE.         189 

August  9,  1826.  Visits  were  made  to  Tripoli, 'where 
Decatur  burned  the  frigate  "  Philadelphia,"  which  had 
run  aground  and  been  taken  by  the  Tripolitans.  It  was 
commanded  by  Commodore  Bainbridge,  whose  war-cloak 
has  been  made  historical  by  his  nephew  Dr.  McLean, 
late  President  of  Princeton  College ;  and  also  to  Algiers, 
where  Dr.  King  renewed  acquaintance  with  Mr.  William 
Shaler,  consul,  whom  he  had  met  in  Paris.  At  Mahon, 
on  invitation.  Dr.  King  held  a  friendly  discussion  with 
two  Roman-catholic  friends,  who,  as  usual,  denied  the 
right  of  private  interpretation  of  the  Scriptures. 

The  establishment  of  the  Circumlocution  Office  was 
not  left  to  the  present  day.  It  cost  him  a  world  of 
trouble  to  obtain  a  passport  for  Marseilles  or  Barcelona, 
but  it  was  finally  secured  through  the  interposition  of 
Commodore  Rodgers  and  other  officers  of  the  United 
States  government  vessels,  for  whose  kindness  in  many 
emergencies  Dr.  King  was  deeply  grateful. 

Expenses  at  the  best  hotel  in  Barcelona  at  this  time 
were  ^i  a  day.  The  inhabitants  were  a  singular  mixture 
of  Spanish  and  Arab  types,  having  many  customs  pecu- 
liar to  the  East.  In  drinking,  they  would  hold  the  ves- 
sel a  little  distance  above  the  mouth,  inclining  the  head 
back,  and  would  thus  pour  the  water  into  it  in  a  stream. 
The  original  coat-of-arms  of  the  Bonaparte  family  was  to 
be  seen  there,  showing,  as  the  name  implies,  what  is 
called  a  noble  origin  :  on  one  side  a  lion,  on  the  other  six 
stars  ;  above  them  an  eagle  and  a  casque  with  feathers. 

The  archives  of  the  Count  of  Aragon  were  also  of 
interest,  containing  a  treaty  with  the  Moors,  dated  in  the 


igo  JONAS  KING. 

year  86  of  the  Hegira.  An  old  papal  bull,  issued  in  the 
tenth  century,  was  also  on  exhibition.  At  this  time  the 
dust  caused  by  the  demolishing  of  the  walls  of  the  Inqui- 
sition had  hardly  settled.  A  Jew  had  been  hung  only 
three  months  before,  simply  because  he  was  a  Jew.  Poi. 
soning  was  of  frequent  occurrence.  Over  fifteen  hun- 
dred had  been  assassinated  in  the  province  of  Catalonia 
within  three  years,  and  no  note  made  of  it,  except  here 
and  there  by  the  erection  of  crosses.  Did  not  such  a 
land  call  for  a  pure  gospel } 

It  was  a  delight  to  cross  the  line  between  Spain  and 
France,  and  to  join  at  Nismes  in  observing  the  Monthly 
Concert  with  true  Christian  friends,  whose  first  exclama- 
tion was,  "  We  have  been  praying  for  you  for  four  years  !" 

A  letter  from  Jeremiah  Evarts,  Secretary  of  the 
American  Board,  was  received  here,  having  been  for- 
warded from  Smyrna.  It  refers  to  Mr.  Gregory  Perdi- 
cari  and  two  other  Greeks,  who  had  come  to  America  for 
education  by  Dr.  King's  advice,  recommending  that  al- 
though these  young  men  were  now  provided  for,  no  oth- 
ers should  be  sent,  unless  funds  should  be  secured  in 
advance  for  their  support.  Dr.  Evarts  expressed  great 
interest  in  the  cause  of  Greece.  Missolonghi  had  just 
fallen.  He  said  the  American  Board  were  ready  to  em- 
ploy Dr.  King  as  agent  to  arouse  the  church,  hoping  he 
himself,  after  a  time,  might  return  to  Greece  ;  for  from 
the  engagement  made  with  Amherst  he  might  no  doubt 
be  honorably  released,  as  it  was  the  common  opinion 
that  there  was  no  need  to  teach  Arabic  in  our  colleges, 
and  Amherst  just  now  had  no  funds  to  spare.     The  let- 


HOMEWARD  THROUGH  EUROPE.         191 

ter  closes  with  words  of  touching  sympathy  in  regard  to 
Mr.  Fisk,  on  whose  help  in  various  ways  the  Board  had 
been  depending.  Such  a  letter  could  not  fail  to  produce 
some  excitement  on  Dr.  King's  part.  On  its  proposals 
might  hinge  his  whole  future  life.  Dr.  King  says,  "  All 
sinful  as  I  am,  still  I  feel  as  if  there  was  an  invisible 
hand  guiding  me."  To  this  letter  Dr.  King  returned  a 
glowing  appeal  in  behalf  of  the  Greeks,  defending  them 
on  every  point. 

To  Nismes  came  also  at  this  time  Rev.  H.  G.  O. 
Dwight,  since  so  well  known  as  missionary  at  Constan- 
tinople. It  was  pleasant,  too,  to  receive  letters  of  greet- 
ing from  that  true  Christian  gentleman,  Baron  de  Stael, 
from  Prof.  Kieffer,  Thomas  Waddington,  and  the  well- 
known  philanthropist,  John  Venning,  who  was  indeed  a 
light  set  in  a  dark  place,  St.  Petersburg,  and  from  Count 
Admiral  Verhuell,  peer  of  France,  and  president  of  the 
Evangelical  Missionary  Society  at  Paris.  The  latter 
writes  in  behalf  of  the  society,  and  also  of  some  young 
missionary  students  in  training  for  the  foreign  work,  ask- 
ing Dr.  King  to  visit  them,  also  to  prepare  in  detail  such 
facts  and  fruits  of  his  experience  in  the  East  as  would 
prove  useful  to  any  future  laborers  there.  Offers  of  fur- 
ther assistance  as  to  funds  were  also  made  in  a  very  con- 
siderate way,  and  were  peculiarly  acceptable  on  account 
of  the  loss  of  clothing  through  Greek  pirates,  which  has 
been  before  mentioned.  Mr.  Wilder  had  written  that 
1,000  francs  were  placed  to  Dr.  King's  credit  in  Paris; 
and  now  through  these  Paris  Christians  the  Lord  pro- 
vided for  every  temporal  want. 


192  yONAS  KING. 

Several  missionary  meetings  were  attended  by  Dr. 
King  in  the  vicinity  of  Nismes.  At  one  Monthly  Con- 
cert at  Anduze  about  four  hundred  persons  were  present. 

Letters  now  came  from  Rev.  Daniel  Temple  and  Rev. 
Eli  Smith,  then  his  associate  at  Malta,  and  also  from  Rev. 
Josiah  Brewer.  Mr.  Temple  wrote,  "  I  am  sony  to  say 
that  Government  refuses  to  give  me  permission  to  print 
your  valedictory  letter,  assigning  as  a  reason  that  it  is 
'  an  overt  attack  upon  the  dominant  religion  of  these  pos- 
sessions.' You  will  be  gratified  to  hear  that  Asaad  Shi- 
diak,  your  teacher  in  Arabic,  mentions  your  letter  to  his 
friends  as  the  means  of  his  conversion  to  the  truth  as  it 
in  Jesus." 

Leaving  Nismes,  a  visit  was  paid  to  Montauban, 
Here  Dr.  King  addressed  the  students  on  Missions,  and 
made  note  of  their  course  of  study. 

Monday,  April  2,  Dr.  King  writes:  "At  6  p.  m.  ar- 
rived at  the  place  which  I  left  four  years  and  seven 
months  before  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  not  knowing  the 
things  which  might  befall  me  there.  I  will  not  attempt 
to  describe  the  emotions  which  I  felt  when  I  first  came 
in  sight  of  this  city.  In  silence  I  praised  the  God  of 
heaven,  all  whose  ways  are  mercy,  sought  of  him  forgive- 
ness through  Christ  for  all  my  unfaithfulness,  and  beg- 
ged of  him  to  order  all  my  future  ways  in  kindness,  to 
keep  me  from  falling  into  sin,  to  enable  me  to  walk  in 
humility,  and  as  becomes  a  poor  sinner  who  hopes  for 
pardon  alone  through  the  blood  of  Christ." 

The  following  note  shows  into  what  a  circle  Dr.  King 
was   at  once  received  at    Paris  :    "  Dined   at   the   Duke 


HOMEWARD  THROUGH  EUROPE.  193 

de  Broglie's  in  company  with  the  Countess  de  St.  Au- 
laire  and  Madame  R.,  who  was  formerly  much  in  com- 
pany with  Madame  de  Stael.  After  dinner  General  La- 
fayette came  in.  Conversed  with  all  on  the  subject  of 
religion.  When  speaking  to  the  children  of  the  Duke 
de  Broglie  and  of  the  Count  de  St.  Aulaire  (who  is  Ro- 
man-catholic), all  came  round  me  to  listen.  I  spoke  of 
regeneration,  love  to  Christ,  the  sinfulness  of  man,  etc. 
General  Lafayette  himself  seemed  to  listen  with  pleas- 
ure, and  invited  me  to  come  and  spend  a  little  time  with 
him  and  his  family  at  La  Grange.  The  Countess  of  St. 
Aulaire  invited  me  to  call  and  see  her  the  next  day,  say- 
ing that  she  was  a  Roman-catholic,  and  that  she  had 
something  in  particular  to  communicate  to  me. 

"At  I  P.M.  I  called  on  the  Countess  de  St.  Aulaire, 
who  began  immediately  to  open  her  mind  to  me  with 
regard  to  her  religious  views  and  feelings,  the  difficulties 
she  had  to  encounter,  etc.  She  is  one  of  the  most  inter- 
esting women  I  have  met  with  in  France.  Her  New 
Testament  is  marked  from  one  end  to  the  other,  and  I 
think  she  is  truly  born  of  God.  She  introduced  me  to 
all  her  daughters,  and  I  spoke  to  them  on  the  subject  of 
religion.     I  spent  with  her  nearly  two  hours  and  a  half. 

"Dined  with  Mr.  Porter  and  spent  the  evening  at 
General  Lafayette's.  He  introduced  me  to  all  his  fam- 
ily. Madame  Lafayette  said  she  had  desired  much  to 
see  me.   The  General  again  invited  me  into  the  country." 

Dr.  King  also  called  on  Count  Verhuell,  Baron  de 
Sacy,  and  by  invitation  on  Madame  Lasteyrie,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Gen.  Lafayette.    A  proposal  came  from  Dr.  Thayer 

Jon^K  ns.  1  i 


194  yONAS  KING. 

of  Amherst  that  Dr.  King  should  join  him  in  charge  of 
an  institution  there,  afterwards  called  Mount  Pleasant. 

A  Greek  princess  was  a  refugee  in  Paris  at  this  time 
under  circumstances  of  great  trial.  Her  husband  had 
been  killed  by  the  Turks,  and  four  of  her  children  had 
recently  died.  The  Duchess  de  Broglie  and  the  Countess 
of  St.  Aulaire  took  Dr.  King  to  see  this  lady  ;  and  the 
truths  of  the  New  Testament,  a  copy  of  which  he  left 
with  her  after  the  visit,  proved,  as  ever  to  those  who  re- 
ceive them,  of  unspeakable  comfort  to  her. 

After  giving  an  account  of  a  missionary  meeting,  Dr. 
King  writes:  "At  six,  dined  with  the  Duchess  de  Brog- 
lie, who  had  invited  me  the  Thursday  before,  in  order  to 
read  the  Scriptures  and  explain  them  to  her  family  and 
others  that  might  be  present.  There  were  present,  be- 
sides the  duke  and  his  family,  his  sister  IMadame  Ran- 
dall, Madame  de  St.  Aulaire  and  all  her  children,  the 
brother  of  the  Baron  de  Stael,  and  others.  There  were 
perhaps  ten  of  these  Roman-catholics.  After  dinner  I 
conversed  with  the  children  on  religion,  and  at  8  read 
and  explained  the  fifth  chapter  of  second  Corinthians, 
and  concluded  with  prayer.  How  interesting  to  have 
such  a  meeting  at  the  Duke  de  Broglie's !  Really  it  is 
of  the  Lord,  and  all  glory  be  to  his  name." 

The  next  day  appears  the  following  entry:  "At  half 
past  two  went  to  call  on  IMadame  Scherer,  Rue  St.  Ho- 
nore,  No.  362,  w^ho  received  me  in  the  most  cordial  man- 
ner, though  an  entire  stranger.  Soon  after  I  began  to 
converse  she  and  all  her  family  wept ;  and  here  also  I 
proposed  having  prayer,  in  which  we  united.    At  quarter 


HOMEWARD  THROUGH  EUROPE.  195 

before  six  went  to  dine  with  his  excellency,  Mr.  Brown, 
the  American  ambassador.  Spent  the  evening  at  his 
house,  where  I  met  some  persons  of  distinction. 

"  Tuesday,  24.  At  half  past  two  went  by  invitation 
to  Madame  Jules  Mallet's,  Rue  Montblanc,  No.  13,  to 
meet  a  number  of  ladies,  for  the  purpose  of  reading  to 
them  the  Scriptures,  with  explanations  and  prayer. 
Among  those  present  was  the  daughter  of  Baron  Cuvier. 
There  were  twelve  or  fourteen  present,  and  all  ladies  of 
high  rank.  How  interesting  to  be  invited  to  hold  reli- 
gious meetings  among  this  class  of  people — at  Paris, 
where  a  few  years  ago  one  was  almost  ashamed  to  own 
that  he  believed  in  Christ." 

Meetings  were  held  also  in  the  interests  of  the  Tract 
Cause  and  that  of  Christian  morals.  One  day  while  con- 
versing ivith  the  Countess  St.  Aulaire,  "Mademoiselle 
Randall  came  in,  and  in  speaking  of  the  dismission  of 
the  National  Guards,  and  of  the  Duke  of  Orleans  (after- 
wards Louis  Philippe),  'Ah,'  said  the  Countess  of  St.  Au- 
laire to  me,  'you  would  be  delighted  to  see  the  duke  ;' 
and  I  said,  'Yes,  certainly,  if  I  could  be  introduced  to 
him.'  Upon  this,  Mademoiselle  Randall,  who  is  very  in- 
timate with  him,  at  once  offered  to  introduce  me."  This 
promise  was  not  forgotten.  A  note  came,  saying  that 
the  duke  would  receive  Dr.  King  at  Neuilly,  the  next  day 
at  12:30.  "He  received  me  in  his  room  alone,  and  we 
spent  about  one  hour  in  conversation  with  regard  to 
America,  France,  Greeks,  Turks,  and  evangelical  mis- 
sions. He  seems  to  be  very  liberal  in  his  views,  is  a 
warm  friend  of  the  Greeks,  and  wishes  that  the  Euro- 


196  yOiVAS  KING. 

pean  powers  would  unite  to  put  down  the  pride  of  the 
Turks,  and  to  give  liberty  to  the  Oriental  Christians,  who 
should  have  a  government  of  their  own  establishment  in 
Constantinople.  He  spoke  against  slavery,  and  seems 
to  be  a  friend  of  man.  On  his  asking  me  whether  it  was 
true  that  the  Sandwich  Islands  and  Otaheite  had  become 
Christian,  I  gave  an  account  of  our  mission  to  Hawaii ; 
and  on  his  asking  what  religion  we  introduced,  I  told 
him  the  doctrines  which  we  preach — man  lost  by  nature, 
Christ  his  only  Saviour,  regeneration  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  the  fruits  of  it  the  spirit  and  temper  of  Christ.  I 
told  him  that  these  were  the  doctrines  God  had  blessed 
to  the  conversion  of  Greece,  Rome,  and  all  pagan  Eu- 
rope, and  that  we  believed  these  doctrines  would  be 
blessed  in  these  last  days.  I  then  related  to  him  the 
conversion  of  Jews  at  Constantinople  by  the  preaching 
of  these  doctrines.  '  The  end  of  the  world  is  then  ap- 
proaching,' said  the  duke.  I  also  spoke  of  some  of  my 
labors  among  the  Muss.ulmans.  '  We  have  a  number  of 
them  here,'  said  he,  'and  I  do  not  see  that  anything  is 
done  for  them.'  '  It  is  prohibited  by  the  director  of  the 
institution  where  they  are,'  said  I.  '  But,'  said  he,  '  we 
see  no  conversions  among  Mussulmans.'  'No,'  said  I, 
'  for  nobody  makes  any  effort  to  save  them,  and  the  Chris- 
tians who  are  among  them  avoid  speaking  on  religion  ; 
but  when  an  apostolical  spirit  shall  revive  in  the  Eastern 
churches,  and  men  are  willing  to  lay  down  their  lives  for 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  we  may  then  expect  to  see 
some  conversions.  It  is  nothing,'  said  I,  '  but  the  grace 
of  God  through  Christ  that  can  change  our  own  hearts. 


HOMEWARD  THROUGH  EUROPE.  197 

and  nothing  else  that  can  soften  the  heart  of  Jews  and 
Mussulmans  and  civilize  pagans.' 

"At  length  I  told  him  that  our  missionaries  endeav- 
ored to  preach  as  much  as  possible  as  St.  Paul  and  St. 
John  and  the  early  disciples  of  Christ  preached — in  a 
word,  to  know  nothing  else  but  *  Jesus  Christ  and  him 
crucified.'  '  If  they  continue  to  limit  themselves  to  this,' 
said  he,  *  they  will  do  well.' 

*'  On  my  rising  to  leave,  he  followed  me  to  the  door 
of  his  apartment,  and  stood  conversing  for  ten  or  fifteen 
minutes.  I  then  begged  pardon  of  him  for  taking  so  much 
of  his  time.  He  said  he  was  most  happy  to  have  formed 
my  acquaintance,  and  should  be  happy  to  see  me  again. 

"  Blessed  be  God  that  I  have  thus  had  opportunity  to 
speak  a  word  to  him  for  Christ  and  His  holy  gospel,  and 
in  favor  of  evangelical  missions.  Much  of  the  morning 
before  I  went  to  call  on  him  I  spent  in  prayer  to  the 
Prince  of  princes  and  the  King  of  kings  that  He  would 
prepare  our  hearts  and  open  the  way  for  me  to  say  some- 
thing for  Christ.  Blessed  be  his  name,  he  heard  my  poor 
prayer  offered  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ." 

Dr.  King's  irrepressible  work  among  the  Catholic  no- 
bility excited  fears  lest  his  staying  at  the  Mission  House 
might  lead  to  difficulties  with  the  government.  May  5, 
1827,  it  was  thought  expedient  by  his  friends  that  he 
should  take  lodgings  elsewhere.  "'Is  it  your  design,' 
inquired  I,  *  that  I  should  be  silent,  and  not  speak  the 
truths  of  the  gospel  as  I  may  have  opportunity  at  Paris 
among  Roman-catholics  .■'' 

'■'■ '  Not  in  the  least,'  said  Count  Verhuell,  with  em- 
1;* 


1 93  yONAS  KING. 

phasis;  'who  on  earth  can  stop  your  mouth  that  you 
should  not  be  faithful  and  speak  for  Christ  ?  But  as  you 
are  drawing  the  attention  of  many  towards  you,  it  is  bet- 
ter that  you  should  not  remain  in  the  Mission  House.  If 
you  stay  six  days  more,  take  another  lodging.  If  your 
funds  are  short,  I  will  pay  for  your  lodging  myself.' " 

After  visits  paid  elsewhere,  everywhere  preaching 
Christ  and  him  crucified,  both  in  the  diligence  and  in  the 
homes  of  luxury,  where  he  was  always  welcome,  Dr. 
King  accepted  General  Lafayette's  invitation  to  visit  him 
at  La  Grange.  "  Soon  after  I  entered  the  saloon  the 
general  and  all  his  family  came  in  to  welcome  me  to  La 
Grange.  To  the  general,  who  took  me  by  the  hand  with 
both  of  his,  I  said,  '  May  the  peace  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  ever  be  with  this  house,  so  dear  to  my  dear  coun- 
try.' Soon  after  I  entered  the  house  the  rain  fell  in  tor- 
rents, mingled  with  hail  and  attended  by  lightning  and 
peals  of  thunder.  I  thought  of  the  storm  that  hung  over 
my  country  when  Lafayette  came  to  her  assistance.  I 
thought  of  the  liberty  so  dear,  those  privileges  so  precious, 
which  I  had  enjoyed,  and  of  which  the  Old  World  knows 
so  little.  I  felt  that  I  wished  to  reflect  and  not  to  con- 
verse. I  retired  to  my  chamber,  and  there  I  spent  some 
time  in  prayer.  At  a  little  past  six  we  sat  down  to  din- 
ner. The  general  placed  me  between  him  and  his  daugh- 
ter Madame  Lasteyrie. 

"The  evening  was  spent  in  conversing  about  the 
American  war,  Major  Andre,  Major  Ales,  Arnold  the 
traitor,  the  system  of  slavery,  the  best  way  to  eradicate 
it,  the  Colonization  Society,  etc." 


HOMEWARD  THROUGH  EUROPE.         199 

In  Dr.  King's  Journal  are  found  autographs  of  La- 
fayette and  his  family ;  of  "  Charles  Carroll  of  Carroll- 
ton,  far  advanced  in  the  ninety-first  year  of  his  age  ;" 
also  those  of  the  Duke  de  Broglie  and  his  family.  The 
duchess,  upon  giving  these  names,  said,  "  I  trust  that  not 
one  of  these  will  be  forgotten  in  your  prayers."  With  her 
name  as  one  of  the  "  transplanted  flowers,"  whose  record 
was  preserved  by  Rev.  Dr.  Robert  Baird,  is  connected 
that  of  Mademoiselle  Clementine  Cuvier,  daughter  of 
Baron  Cuvier.  Dr.  King  writes  of  her  as  "very  seri- 
ous," and  "  a  person  of  great  distinction  in  Paris,  with  a 
mind  highly  cultivated."  Of  the  Countess  of  St.  Aulaire 
he  says,  "  She  is  a  person  of  great  attainments  in  learn- 
ing, of  exquisite  taste,  and  has  left  all  the  principal  errors 
of  the  Roman-catholic  church.  The  Bible  is  now  her 
study  and  her  delight.  She  is  of  a  distinguished  family, 
from  which  three  popes  have  been  chosen.  She  corre- 
sponds with  the  king  of  Prussia,  and  has  a  numerous  lit- 
erary acquaintance." 

A  plan  now  appears  for  an  institution  foreshadowing 
Lincoln  University,  which  Dr.  King  suggested  should 
bear  the  conjoint  names  of  Washington  and  Lafayette. 

Dr.  King's  time,  during  his  stay  in  Paris,  was  much 
taken  up  in  translating  into  French  some  of  his  manu- 
scripts, a  work  which  the  friends  of  missions  had  asked 
him  to  do.  The  East  was  then  almost  a  terra  incognita. 
Information  as  to  every  point  was  called  for.  Again, 
Armenian  type  was  needed  at  Malta,  and  books  of  refer- 
ence for  the  missionaries  there,  all  of  which  he  was  able 
to  secure.     But  through  it  all  we  learn,  by  frequent  ref- 


2  00  yONAS  KING. 

erence  to  hours  of  prayer,  whence  came  the  power  that 
made  this  plain,  earnest  American  missionary  so  accept- 
able a  guest  in  the  first  society  of  Paris.  As  he  left 
some  of  these  homes,  all,  even  the  servants,  were  in 
tears. 

Passing  over  the  Channel,  the  same  warm  welcome 
was  accorded  to  our  missionary  in  many  of  "  the  stately 
homes  of  England,"  where  further  contributions  were 
made  to  the  font  of  Arabic  type.  After  a  meeting  at 
Miss  Farrar's,  conducted  by  Miss  Stevens,  a  lady  of  the 
Church  of  England,  of  eminent  piety,  who  in  her  reading 
and  explaining  of  the  Scriptures  to  large  circles  antici- 
pated the  work  done  by  many  Christian  women  at  the 
present  day.  Dr.  King  was  asked  to  speak  of  the  work 
in  Palestine.  When  through  with  his  remarks,  "a  little 
boy  of  eight  years.  Master  T.  H.  Farrar,  stepped  up  to 
me,  and  said,  '  Here  is  one  pound  towards  the  types.' 
This  seemed  to  give  an  impulse  to  others,  who  came  also 
and  contributed,  and  I  got  more  than  six  pounds.  This 
I  considered  a  large  sum." 

The  pages  of  the  Journal  are  brilliant  just  now  with 
the  names  of  persons  well  known  beyond  their  own  coun- 
try for  their  interest  in  the  cause  of  Christ's  kingdom  : 
Drummond,  Lord  Calthorpe,  Mr.  Pratt,  the  biographer 
of  Richard  Cecil,  Rev.  Mr.  Saunders,  Mr.  Symes — who 
showed  Dr.  King  no  little  kindness,  Rev.  Baptist  Noel, 
Lord  and  Lady  Teignmouth,  Marquis  of  Cholmondely, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hawley,  Mr.  Harford  of  Blaise  Castle,  and 
others.  Rev.  Robert  Hall  asked  Dr.  King  to  preach  for 
him,  and  after  this  service  introduced  a  captain  from 


HOMEWARD  THROUGH  EUROPE.        201 

Beyrout,  who  confirmed  from  his  own  observation  every 
word  that  had  been  said  in  regard  to  certain  matters  in 
Syria.  The  coming  in  of  this  captain  just  then,  Dr.  Hall 
said,  was  one  of  the  most  remarkable  events  he  had  ever 
known. 

July  19,  1827,  Dr.  King  writes:  "Went  to  Barley 
Wood,  the  residence  of  the  celebrated  Mrs.  Hannah  More, 
about  twelve  miles  from  Bristol.  I  arrived  about  10 
A.  M.,  and  met  with  a  most  cordial  reception.  Mrs.  More 
is  now  in  her  eighty-third  year,  and  converses  with  I 
might  almost  say  the  vivacity  of  youth.  Her  eye,  though 
a  little  dimmed  with  age,  still  speaks  in  conversation,  and 
animates  what  her  tongue  eloquently  utters. 

"  I  remained  with  her  till  about  5  p.  m.,  and  it  was  then 
with  much  difBculty  that  I  could  get  away,  she  was  so 
urgent,  and  so  often  repeated  her  solicitations  to  have 
me  stay  another  day  at  her  house.  She  took  great  inter- 
est in  the  accounts  I  gave  her  of  Palestine  ;  said,  'I  want 
no  more  of  Italy  and  France,  nothing  but  Palestine.'  She 
gave  me  one  of  her  books,  the  Life  of  St.  Paul,  and  some 
little  pamphlets,  and  also  £^  for  the  Arabic  type.  I 
afterwards  sent  to  her  from  Bristol  an  olive-branch  from 
Bethany.  I  would  gladly  have  remained  a  few  days  at 
Barley  Wood,  and  also  at  Bristol  with  Rev.  Robert  Hall, 
and  a  little  longer  at  Blaise  Castle,  but  I  have  for  a  long 
time  past  made  it  a  rule  not  to  go  to  any  place,  nor  to 
remain  there,  unless  there  is  hope  of  doing  some  good, 
or  unless  circumstances  evidently  point  it  out  as  a  duty 
either  to  go  or  stay." 


yONAS  KING. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

MISSIONARY  AGENCY  IN  AMERICA. 

Arrival  in  New  York — Visits  to  Friends — Agency  with  A.  B.  C.  F. 
M.  in  New  York  and  the  South — Dr.  Kirk — Washington — 
Letter  from  Ladies'  Greek  Committee  of  New  York — Becomes 
their  Missionary — Sails  from  New  York — Kind  Reception  at 
Paris. 

August  2,  1827,  Dr.  King  took  leave  of  England, 
sailing  by  packet  Pacific  for  New  York,  and  September 
4  he  was  able  to  write:  "At  thirty-eight  minutes  past 
ten  my  feet  pressed  the  soil  to  which  they  have  so  long 
been  a  stranger."  Here,  upon  landing,  he  was  immedi- 
ately greeted  and  made  welcome  by  S.  F.  B.  Morse,  Rev. 
W.  A.  Hallock,  W.  W.  Chester,  Pelatiah  Perit,  Mr.  Will- 
iam Williams  of  Norwich,  Dr.  Rice,  Rev.  Matthias 
Bruen,  and  others,  while  a  letter  awaited  him  from  Mr. 
Wilder  ;  a  constellation  of  names,  all  but  one  now  passed 
onward  into  the  heavens. 

Parents  and  friends  in  New  England  were  first  to  be 
visited.  At  Ware  village  he  soon  found  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Wilder,  then  went  on  to  meet  an  appointment  made  by 
Colonel  Trask  at  Springfield;  then  reporting  himself  to 
Dr.  Humphrey  at  Amherst,  where  he  preached  on  Sun- 
day, he  passed  on  to  Northampton  and  Hawley.  Here 
were  his  now  aged  parents,  feeble  in  health,  yet  truly  re- 
signed in  regard  to  his  long  absence.     After  a  few  days' 


MISSWiVAR  y  A  GENC  V  IN  AMERICA.       2  03 

visit,  when  another  parting  seemed  doubly  hard  to  bear, 
while  yet  Dr.  King  was  both  affected  and  strengthened 
by  his  father's  fervent  prayers,  he  went  with  Col.  Long- 
ley  to  Shelburne,  to  visit  the  father  of  PHny  Fisk.  "  As 
I  entered  the  house,"  he  says,  "  my  heart  was  full.  All 
the  scenes  of  the  East  came  fresh  to  my  mind.  And 
the  wounds  that  had  been  made  by  the  death  of  Mr.  Fisk 
seemed  to  be  opened  afresh.  His  father  had  gone  out, 
so  I  sat  down  and  wept  in  silence.  He  soon  came  in, 
and  with  weeping  took  my  hand  and  exclaimed,  '  Oh, 
that  I  have  lived  to  see  any  one  who  has  seen  my  son  !' 
All  the  afternoon  he  sat  close  by  me,  and  seemed  to  feel 
as  if  I  were  all  that  was  left  him  of  his  deceased  Pliny. 
He  is  now  seventy-nine  years  old,  and  expects  soon  to 
go  home  to  his  rest.  At  half-past  six  in  the  evening 
went  with  him  and  his  son  about  two  miles  to  the  meet- 
inghouse, to  attend  the  monthly  prayer-meeting." 

Passing  on  again  towards  New  York,  where  the 
American  Board  was  to  meet,  an  offer  was  made  Dr. 
King  of  a  professorship  in  Yale  College,  $15,000  being 
already  raised  for  an  endowment. 

At  the  first  meeting  of  the  American  Board  Dr. 
King  was  called  to  speak,  and  special  interest  was  felt 
in  his  report  as  to  Asaad  el  Shidiak.  The  Board  still 
wished  him  to  undertake  an  agency,  and  though  the 
compensation  was  of  necessity  small,  he  said  there  was  a 
call  to  it  in  his  own  bosom  louder  than  the  Board  could 
give,  and  more  tempting  than  to  settle  down  as  professor 
on  an  assured  salary.  He  felt  impelled  to  urge  upon  the 
Board  itself  more  earnest,  onward  movement,  so  many 


204  ^O.VAS  KIiXG. 

places  in  the  East  were  opening  to  the  gospel.  Dr. 
Eeecher,  Dr.  Porter,  and  Dr.  Proudfit,  also  spoke  on  the 
subject,  and  then  followed  one  of  those  supreme  seasons, 
when  God  was  indeed  shedding  down  upon  every  heart 
the  blessing  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  A  subscription  of 
$25,000  was  made  on  the  spot,  $20,000  of  which  was  an- 
nual for  five  years  ;  a  large  sum  at  that  time. 

Dr.  King  also  addressed  a  meeting  of  250  ladies  in 
Dr.  Mathew's  vestryroom,  besides  one  or  two  others  of 
the  same  kind  in  other  churches.  Mr.  Abeel,  afterwards 
so  useful  in  China,  was  in  New  York  just  now,  and  con- 
ferred with  Dr.  King  as  to  his  going  on  a  foreign  mis- 
sion, praying  together  in  reference  to  this.  Rev.  Suther- 
land Douglas  invited  Dr.  King  to  speak  on  missions  to  a 
convention  of  Episcopal  clergy  at  Washington. 

Other  names  now  appear  in  New  York  as  friends  of 
the  same  great  cause.  Col.  Rutgers,  Col.  Crosby,  Mr. 
Oilman  of  Norwich,  Rev.  Dr.  Ferris,  Rev.  Edward  N. 
Kirk,  Dr.  Henry  G.  Ludlow,  Mr.  Joseph  S.  James,  Moses 
Allen,  and  Mrs.  Bethune,  in  whose  infant-school  he  told 
of  Bethlehem ;  visiting  also  Mr.  Seaton's  Sunday-school 
of  three  hundred  and  fifty  scholars. 

News  now  came  of  the  death  of  Dr.  Payson  at  Port- 
land, and  Dr.  King  copied  in  full  the  letter,  now  so  cele- 
brated, dictated  to  his  sister  just  before  he  entered  the 
gates  of  heaven. 

Arrangements  being  completed  with  a  Committee  on 
Extra  Efforts,  now  appointed  by  the  American  Board,  it 
was  thought  best  to  attempt  securing  $500,000,  payable 
within  five  years,  and  a  meeting  was  called  in  order  to 


MISSIOiVAR  y  A  GENC  Y  IN  AiMERICA.       2  05 

begin  this  effort.  Gen.  Van  Rensselaer  presided,  Dr. 
Chester,  Mr.  Ludlow,  and  Mr.  Bissell,  urged  the  object, 
and  $14,000  were  obtained.  Special  subscriptions  were 
also  gained  towards  the  education  of  Greek  youth  then 
in  this  country.  The  new  missionary  agent  was  du'ect- 
ed  first  to  go  up  the  Hudson  river,  which  he  did,  preach- 
ing at  Troy,  Albany,  and  Schenectady,  as  the  way  open- 
ed ;  and  the  tour  proved  quite  a  successful  one.  On  his 
returning  to  New  York,  we  find  in  one  case  the  same  ob- 
jections were  made  at  that  time  as  in  this,  to  the  work  of 
missions  abroad.  "Nov.  23,  1827.  Called  on  Col.  V. 
and  presented  my  subscription  paper.  On  looking  at  it 
he  began  to  say  that  he  should  not  subscribe  anything ; 
that  Col.  R.  and  Gen.  V.  R.,  who  had  subscribed  so 
largely,  received  large  estates  from  their  fathers,  but 
that  he  had  received  nothing,  began  the  world  poor,  had 
many  nephews,  etc.,  to  provide  for,  had  been  building  a 
house  and  could  hardly  get  funds  to  meet  the  demands 
of  carpenters,  etc.  On  hearing  this  my  heart  was  moved 
within  me  with  pity  for  the  man,  and  real  sorrow  to  hear 
one  so  rich  (without  a  child  on  earth  to  provide  for,  one 
who  professed  to  love  the  Saviour  who  became  poor  for 
our  sakes)  pleading  his  poverty.  Besides,  he  said,  he 
thought  we  had  enough  to  do  at  home  in  the  cause  of 
missions.  I  replied,  'This  is  in  part  to  establish  mis- 
sions among  our  Indians.'  '  We  ought  to  take  care,' 
said  he,  'of  the  white  Indians  before  the  yellow  ones.' 

"  I  replied,  *  This  is  a  thing  that  I  do  not  wish  to  urge 
at  all.  As  I  had  the  names  of  two  of  your  friends,  I 
thought  I  would  present  the  paper  to  you.     But  I  do  not 


2o6  yONAS  KING. 

wish  any  one  to  subscribe,  unless  he  thinks  the  object  a 
good  one,  and  I  hope  you  will  excuse  me  for  calling.  I 
would  never  have  called  were  it  not  in  the  cause  of  Jesus 
Christ,  who  came  down  from  heaven  and  died  for  our 
ruined  world ;  and  I  have  been  much  struck  with  the 
fact  that  there  is  wealth  enough  in  this  city  to  send  the 
gospel  to  the  world  without  making  any  man  a  beggar, 
or  depriving  a  single  individual  of  a  single  comfort  of 
life ;  that  one  theatre  here,  as  I  am  told,  receives  three 
hundred  thousand  dollars  in  one  year  and  no  one  thinks 
anything  of  it;  but  when  one  thousand  a  year  is  needed 
in  the  cause  of  Christ,  it  is  thought  a  great  thing!  Is 
this  a  Christian  city?  Do  men  believe  the  gospel  ?  Are 
the  souls  of  men  of  any  consequence  ?  Was  the  cause 
of  missions  worthy  the  sacrifice  made  by  the  Son  of  God 
in  coming  from  heaven  to  earth  ?  Was  it  worthy  the 
sacrifices  which  the  apostles  made  in  laboring  and  laying 
down  their  lives  ?  or  that  missionaries  should  have  come 
to  proclaim  the  gospel  to  our  forefathers,  without  which 
we  might  have  been  sacrificed  to  idols,  instead  of  enjoy- 
ing civilization  and  all  the  comforts  we  now  possess  ?' 
In  this  manner  I  addressed  him  a  few  minutes,  and  again 
with  tears  in  my  eyes  begged  him  to  excuse  me  for  hav- 
ing called.  He  seemed  moved,  and  said,  '  I  do  not  say 
that  I  will  give  nothing.  I  will  think  of  it.'  '  Then  I 
will  report  to  the  committee  that  it  is  not  a  refusal,  and 
if  they  choose  to  call  on  you  they  can.'  'Yes,'  replied 
he,  and  I  went  away  with  a  sorrowful  heart."  Better 
success  attended  a  series  of  parlor-meetings,  of  which 
Dr.  King  says :  "  A  much  greater  effect  can  usually  be 


MISSIONAR  J '  A  GENC  Y  IN  AMERICA.       2  07 

produced  on  a  small  number  assembled  in  a  private 
hoiise,  than  on  a  large  assembly  in  a  church.  Each  man 
of  a  small  party  feels  as  if  he  had  a  part  in  all  that  is 
said," 

It  was  now  proposed-  by  Mr.  Evarts,  Secretary  of  the 
American  Board,  that  Dr.  King  should  make  the  tour  of 
South  Carolina  and  Georgia,  meeting  the  Synod  there, 
then  visit  the  Choctaw  and  Cherokee  Missions,  also 
Natchez  and  New  Orleans.  This  would  take  six  months  ; 
afterwards  the  northern  cities  were  to  be  visited,  and 
then  perhaps  in  two  years,  Europe  was  again  to  be  the 
scene  of  his  labors.  The  matter  of  compensation  he 
was  willing  to  leave  to  the  Board,  but  he  did  not  see  the 
way  clear  to  make  an  engagement  for  so  long  a  time  as 
proposed,  nor  was  he  sure  that  to  go  to  the  Indian  sta- 
tions was  the  best  way  to  use  his  time.  The  committee 
in  New  York  were  divided  on  the  subject,  and  special 
conference  was  held  with  Mr.  A.  G.  Phelps,  Mr.  Arthur 
Tappan,  and  some  members  of  Dr.  Spring's  church, 
when  1 1,600  were  added  to  the  funds.  Another  letter 
came  from  Mr.  Evarts,  expressing  great  satisfaction  at 
the  report  Dr.  Kirk  had  made  of  the  meetings  in  Albany, 
and  taking  this  as  a  proof  that  Dr.  King  ought  to  con- 
tinue very  closely  connected  with  missionary,  rather  than 
collegiate  life,  for  the  engagement  with  Amherst  was  not 
yet  cancelled,  to  say  nothing  of  the  offers  made  by  Yale. 
In  case  Dr.  King  consented  to  spend  a  few  weeks  among 
the  Indians,  Mr.  Evarts  urged  the  importance  of  his  try- 
ing, by  such  suggestions  as  his  own  reflections,  aided  by 
the  Scriptures  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  might  enable  him  to 


2o8  yONAS  KING. 

do,  to  increase  the  piety,  zeal,  and  self-denial  of  the  mis- 
sionaries. Time  given  to  the  Indians,  Mr.  Evarts  thought, 
would  not  be  lost,  for  the  facts  gained  respecting  them 
would  be  exceedingly  interesting  to  the  religious  literati 
of  France  and  Germany. 

Everything  now  pointed  to  Dr.  King's  return  after  a 
while  to  Europe :  his  parents  were  willing,  friends  were 
in  favor  of  it,  and  he  felt  that  all  had  come  about  in  an- 
swer to  prayer.  Dr.  Cox  said,  at  a  dinner  at  Mr.  Guy 
Richards',  that  Dr.  King  could  not  consistently  sit  down 
as  professor  in  a  college,  when  the  whole  world  was  be- 
fore him  as  his  diocese.  Mr.  Evarts  consented  to  let  Dr. 
King  work  yet  for  a  time  under  the  New  York  Commit- 
tee, and  Rev.  Edward  N.  Kirk  was  appointed  to  labor 
with  him. 

Names,  still  familiar,  occur  in  Dr.  King's  Journal 
from  day  to  day.  Col.  Crosby,  Shepherd  Knapp,  Mr. 
Hedges,  Moses  Allen,  Rev.  Mr.  Nettleton,  Mr.  Woolsey, 
Rev.  Mr.  Mortimer  of  the  Moravian  church,  Rev.  Mr. 
Eastburn  of  the  Episcopal  church.  Dr.  Milnor,  Zechariah 
Lewis,  Prof.  Halsey  of  Princeton,  Rev.  Absalom  Peters, 
Rev.  Henry  G.  Ludlow,  Mr.  Thomas  Chester,  Mrs.  Cod- 
wise,  Joseph  Brewster,  Rev.  Mr.  Schroider,  Rev.  Wm.  B. 
Sprague,  Theodore  Frelinghuysen,  and  others,  with  all  of 
whom  Dr.  King  was  variously  brought  in  contact,  and 
whose  interest  in  missions  seemed  in  consequence  to  be 
greatly  increased.  Mr.  Wilder  came  from  his  country- 
home  in  Massachusetts,  and  the  two  friends,  meeting  at 
the  Tract  House,  prayed  together  in  reference  to  the 
buildinsf  of  the  Hillside  church  at  Bolton.     Mr.  Wilder 


MISSIOXAR  y  A  GENC  Y  IN  AMERICA.       2  09 

favored  decidedly  Dr.  King's  going  back  to  Europe  be- 
fore very  long.  He  had  seen  there  for  himself  openings 
at  points  usually  almost  inaccessible  to  the  pure  gospel. 

A  short  visit  was  made  to  Princeton,  and  a  warm  wel- 
come given  by  Drs.  Alexander,  Miller,  Carnahan,  and 
Halsey.  Soon  after  which,  Jan.  4,  1828,  arrangements 
for  the  southern  trip  being  complete,  Drs.  King  and  Kirk 
took  passage  for  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  where,  on 
his  arrival,  he  was  soon  welcomed  by  his  old  friends,  Mr. 
O'Neill  and  Dr.  Palmer,  and  his  brother  Rev.  Edward 
Palmer. 

The  Journal  teems  with  memories  of  eight  or  nine 
years  before ;  the  people  crowded  to  hear  what  their  own 
city  missionary  had  seen  in  the  Orient,  and  were  attract- 
ed also  by  the  eloquence  of  Mr.  Kirk.  Miss  Angelina 
Grimke  made  a  special  contribution  of  $60  for  four  years, 
to  establish  a  school  on  some  Eastern  mission  ground. 

Beaufort,  Augusta,  Savannah,  Columbia,  and  other 
southern  points  were  successively  visited,  and  meetings 
held  in  each.  At  Fayetteville,  Dr.  King  became  much 
interested  in  Moreau,  a  slave  belonging  to  Gen.  Owen. 
This  man  was  able  to  write  and  speak  Arabic,  and  was 
indeed  a  monument  to  that  grace,  which  out  of  bondage 
had  brought  a  soul  into  the  full  liberty  of  the  gospel  of 
Christ.  At  Washington,  D.  C,  Gen.  Van  Rensselaer  of 
Albany  introduced  Dr.  King  to  .the  White  House,  where 
the  simplicity  of  the  republican  court  made  a  marked 
impression  on  one  who  had  witnessed  the  elaborate  cere- 
monial connected  with  those  of  Europe.  At  a  reception 
here  Dr.  King  met  Daniel  Webster,  Henry  Clay,  South- 


2IO  yONAS  KING. 

ard,  Rives,  Varnum,  Wirt,  and  others.  He  writes :  "  I 
had  opportunity  to  speak  most  fully  on  the  worth  of  re- 
deeming love.  Returned  to  my  lodgings,  feeling  almost 
as  if  I  had  been  on  missionary  ground,  and  prayed  for 
those  with  whom  I  had  been  conversing.  I  could  not 
but  feel  that  the  Saviour  had  in  some  degree  been  with 
me,  and  given  me  strength  to  speak  in  his  cause."  On 
Sunday,  April  6,  1828,  by  invitation  Dr.  King  preached 
on  Missions,  in  the  hall  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 
In  Baltimore,  also,  the  same  great  cause  was  presented 
in  Dr.  Nevins'  church,  and  Dr.  King  called  on  Charles 
Carroll  of  CarroUton,  then  in  his  ninety-first  year.  Here, 
too.  Dr.  King  met  Rev.  Mr.  Robertson,  an  Episcopal 
minister,  then  in  feeble  health,  yet  thinking  of  going  on 
a  mission.  He  afterwards  did  go  to  Africa  and  Greece. 
While  in  Washington  a  letter  of  importance  was  re- 
ceived, proposing  Dr.  King's  almost  immediate  return  to 
Europe  as  missionary  to  Greece.  This  letter  was  signed 
by  Frances  Tappan,  Mary  Murray,  Hannah  L.  Murray, 
Anne  Innis,  Sarah  P.  Doremus,  Catherine  M.  Hurd,  A. 
M.  Boyd,  M.  Perit,  and  H.  M.  Chester,  who  at  this  time 
constituted  the  Ladies'  Greek  Committee  of  New  York. 
The  hearts  and  hands  of  these  ladies  had  become  stirred 
up  to  relieve  in  some  measure  the  poor  Greeks,  now  suf- 
fering terribly  from  Turkish  despotism.  A  ship  was  to 
be  despatched  without  delay,  to  carry  the  food  and  cloth- 
ing collected  in  New  York,  Baltimore,  and  other  places. 
But  these  Christian  ladies  thought  of  the  soul  as  well  as 
of  the  body,  and  determined  to  raise  funds  among  them- 
selves to  support  a  missionary  in  Greece,  at  least  for  a 


MISSIONAR  V  A  GENC  Y  IN  AMERICA.      2 1 1 

year  or  two.  They  wrote  to  Dr.  King  that  his  own  reci- 
tals as  to  the  state  of  that  country  had  been  the  principal 
means  of  leading  them  into  this  effort,  and  urgently  invi- 
ted him  to  become  their  missionary,  believing  that  the 
very  fact  of  his  arrival  in  this  vessel  bearing  much  need- 
ed supplies,  would  at  once  disarm  prejudice,  and  be  most 
favorable  to  his  success. 

To  this  letter  Dr.  King  answered  he  should  be  will- 
ing to  go  to  Greece,  after  present  engagements  with  the 
Committee  on  Special  Efforts  were  fulfilled,  and  after  he 
had  again  seen  his  father  and  mother.  Secretary  Evarts 
approved  of  this  course,  and  soon  after  in  New  York 
Dr.  King  met  the  Ladies'  Committee  at  Mr.  A.  Tappan's, 
and  the  arrangement  was  concluded. 

In  view  of  this  work  for  Greece,  Dr.  King  sent  to 
Amherst  College  a  letter  of  resignation  of  his  office  as 
professor  there,  and  also  definitely  declined  Rev.  Mr. 
Thayer's  proposals  as  to  the  Mount  Pleasant  Academy, 
and  those  made  to  him  from  New  Haven. 

In  Philadelphia,  Drs.  King  and  Kirk  spoke  in  five 
churches.  Great  sympathy  for  Greece  was  felt  here  as 
elsewhere,  and  Dr.  King  was  encouraged  by  his  friends 
in  his  plans  to  go  there. 

New. York  was  reached  by  easy  stages:  steamboat 
at  noon  for  Trenton,  then  stagecoach  to  Princeton,  where 
the  night  was  passed  ;  coach  the  next  day  at  noon  for 
New  York,  and  arrival  there  the  same  evening.  Such 
arrangements  would  have  been  very  inconvenient  for 
day-visitors  to  the  Centennial  in  1876. 

A  parting  visit  was  again  paid  to  his  parents,  to  whom 


2  12  JONAS  KING. 

he  did  not  go  empty-handed.  Friends  in  Northampton 
and  Hartford  also  claimed  attention ;  among  others,  Dr. 
King  mentions  Dr.  Coggswell  and  his  daughter,  who 
was  deaf  and  dumb,  and  through  this  very  disability  was 
used  of  God  to  the  blessing  of  hundreds  thus  afflicted. 

Rev.  Mr.  Gallaudet,  her  teacher,  well-known  as  the 
father  in  this  country  of  efforts  for  the  deaf  and  dumb, 
sent  Dr.  King  the  following  lines : 

"FAREWELL. 
"  Stranger  and  pilgrim  here  below, 
Again  attend  thy  Master's  call; 
Yet  unsolicitous  to  know 

What  trials  may  thy  steps  befall. 

"  Go,  in  His  strength  who  conquering  rose 
Over  the  power  of  death  and  hell, 
And  let  new  captives  of  his  foes 
The  splendors  of  his  triumph  swell. 

"Go,  in  His  strength  who  reigns  on  high 
Joint  partner  of  the  Eternal's  throne, 
Whom  all  the  armies  of  the  sky 

Their  sovereign  Lord  with  reverence  own, 

"  Go,  in  His  strength,  who  strength  can  yield 
Constant  and  equal  to  thy  day, 
Securely  sheltered  by  His  shield 
From  all  that  can  thy  soul  dismay. 

"  Go,  and  leave  all  to  thee  most  dear, 

Thy  country,  kindred,  friends,  and  home ; 
O'er  stormy  seas  and  deserts  drear, 
In  foreign  climes  again  to  roam. 

"  Go,  for  thy  Maker  bids  thee  go 

And  preach  His  gospel  to  the  poor; 
Enough  for  thee  His  will  to  know. 
And  that  his  promises  are  sure. 


MISSIONAR  Y  A  GENC  V  IN  AMERICA.       2 1 3 

"  Go  to  the  battle-field  once  more, 
And  put  thy  heavenly  armor  on ; 
The  light  of  faith  will  soon  be  o'er, 
And  soon  thy  crown  of  glory  won." 

Some  difficulty  arose  as  to  the  best  way  to  go  to 
Greece.  Mr.  John  Tappan  offered  to  bear  all  the  ex- 
pense, should  the  route  be  through  England,  Holland, 
France,  and  Switzerland  ;  but  the  ladies  and  Greek  Com- 
mittee decided  upon  a  Greek  vessel  going  direct.  Dr. 
King's  own  judgment  was  for  this.  He  says  :  "  It  is  al- 
ways better  to  pursue  an  original  plan,  if  there  be  no  very 
obvious  reasons  for  changing."  By  mutual  understand- 
ing with  the  Greek  Committee  and  the  ladies.  Dr.  King 
was  not  to  superintend  the  distribution  of  stores  alone, 
but  was  also  to  establish  schools  among  the  Greeks, 
preach  as  he  might  be  able,  and  distribute  Bibles  and 
Tracts.  The  Bible  Society  immediately  voted  $500 
towards  this  object,  and  the  American  Tract  Society 
^300,  for  Greek  tracts  already  printed  at  Malta,  and  for 
new  translations. 

A  final  meeting  for  farewell  was  held  May  25,  at  Mr. 
W.  W.  Chester's — about  eighty  present — which  served  to 
strengthen  the  bands  uniting  these  New  York  Christian 
philanthropists  and  the  messenger  who  was  to  bear  for 
them  to  Greece  food  for  both  body  and  soul. 

Parting  letters  too  were  written  and  received.  His 
father  wrote  :  "  In  order  to  determine  our  willingness  to 
have  you  go  to  France  and  Greece,  we  need  only  to 
know  whether  it  is  God's  will.  If  it  is  God's  will  we  say 
Amen  to  it ;  for  we  would  rather  have  you  die  in  the  way 


214  yONAS  KING. 

of  your  duty,  than  live  in  the  neglect  of  it."  All  the 
colleges  seemed  ready  to  receive  Greek  youth,  if  sent 
to  this  country  for  education.  Rev.  Mr.  Cornelius  offer- 
ed to  be  responsible  for  twelve  of  these.  All  this  made 
the  last  days  just  before  sailing,  very  busy  ones.  Many 
friends  accompanied  him  to  the  ship. 

A  short  stop  was  made  at  Malta,  where  Messrs.  Tem- 
ple, Goodell,  and  Bird,  were  just  then  together.  Monday, 
July  28,  1828,  Dr.  King  landed  at  Poros,  a  good  point 
for  his  work,  being  the  residence  of  the  President  of 
Greece.  He  was  away  from  home,  but  his  brother, 
Count  A.  Capodistria,  received  the  American  Christian 
envoy  with  great  politeness  ;  as  did  also  other  persons 
connected  with  the  government.  A  public  magazine  or 
storehouse  was  at  once  offered,  wherein  to  bestow  -his 
goods,  which  were  to  be  free  from  all  government  super- 
vision in  regard  to  the  distribution  of  them. 

Volume  VI.  of  his  Journal  closes  with  the  copy  of  a 
hymn  then  new,  "  From  Greenland's  Icy  Mountains." 
Its  true  ring  as  a  missionary  battle-cry  was  at  once 
recognized  by  this  soldier  of  the  cross,  now  again  on 
foreign  soil,  ready  for  what  the  great  Leader  had  for  him 
to  do  there, 


FOROS— GREECE.  215 


CHAPTER    XIV. 


POROS— GREECE. 


Poros — Count  Capodistria — Greece  open  to  the  Gospel — Sufferings 
of  the  People — Egina — Smyrna — Syra  Marriage — Tenos. 

Difficulties  attend  every  enterprise.  There  was 
much  sickness  at  this  time  at  Poros.  Objections  were 
made  by  some  of  the  foreigners  there,  that  the  Greeks 
deserved  no  help  from  America.  But  Dr.  King  went 
on  quietly  with  his  work.  The  first  application  made  to 
him  was  for  books.  A  visit  was  paid,  on  his  return,  by 
appointment,  to  Count  Capodistria,  the  President,  who 
received  the  letters  of  introduction  from  Mr.  Gallatin  and 
the  Duchesse  de  Broglie  and  Madame  St,  Aulaire  with 
brightened  interest,  A  long  conversation  followed,  on 
the  state  of  Greece  and  the  best  methods  for  her  relief 
aad  elevation.  The  President  showed  great  common 
sense,  not  wishing  to  have  the  stores  of  food  and  clo- 
thing distributed  in  a  way  to  foster  the  idleness  into 
which  the  Greeks,  through  the  effect  of  a  serene  climate, 
an  oppressive  government,  war,  and  Oriental  habits,  had 
more  than  ever  subsided.  He  told  Dr.  King  to  go  first 
to  see  the  destitution,  and  he  himself  would  furnish 
guards;  advised  him  not  to  let  it  be  known  he  had 
brought  supplies.  After  personal  information  was  thus 
obtained,  the  President  said,  "Do  not  give  away  your 


2i6  JONAS  KING. 

stores,  but  sell  them,  even  on  bonds  due  in  three  years. 
In  that  time,  if  the  money  is  collected,  expend  it  in  es- 
tablishing schools,  or  building  schoolhouses."  The  Pres- 
ident himself  was  about  to  found  a  school  for  about  five 
hundred  children,  and  would  buy  and  pay  for  clothing  for 
them  immediately.  Thus  did  God  answer  the  prayers  of 
his  children  in  America,  opening  the  way  for  a  proper  use 
of  their  gifts.  By  means  of  this  President,  the  whole  of 
the  Morea  was  at  once  open  to  receive,  not  temporal 
relief  alone,  but  the  gospel  itself.  Every  day  persons, 
sometimes  a  hundred  and  fifty  or  more,  came  begging 
for  the  New  Testament.  Before  breakfast  sometimes,  a 
school  of  boys,  with  their  teacher,  would  come  for  this 
purpose.  One  of  these  teachers  made  a  most  touching 
little  address,  thanking  American  Christians  for  their 
great  benevolence.  Everywhere  the  same  gratitude  was 
expressed.  The  President  told  Dr.  King  if  he,  Dr. 
King,  had  ^50,000  to  expend  in  the  establishment  of 
schools,  it  could  be  used  without  difficulty.  It  was  a 
time  of  high  tide  now  in  Greece  for  evangelic  and  edu- 
cational effort.  Who  is  to  answer  for  the  neglect  of  it .-' 
for  the  church  did  not  take  advantage  of  it  to  any  great 
extent. 

Dr,  King  did  not  content  himself  with  merely  visit- 
ing the  schools  and  distributing  books,  but  took  every 
opportunity  to  give  the  gospel  viva  voce  in  the  public 
streets,  or  "  under  a  fig-tree,"  or  in  almost  any  place. 
The  poor,  sick,  and  suffering  would  soon  collect  to  the 
number  of  over  fifty  or  sixty,  and  eagerly  drink  in  the 
glad  tidings  of  One  "mighty  to  save."     Even  the  priests 


PGR  OS— GREECE.  2 1 7 

would  listen  and  give  attention  and  approval  to  the 
preaching.  A  bishop  asked  for  New  Testaments  for  the 
priests  under  his  care,  that  they  might  be  able  properly 
to  instruct  the  people. 

Egina  was  the  first  point  visited  after  Poros.  The 
general  suffering  there  was  distressing.  In  a  population 
of  not  over  one  thousand,  in  a  place  opposite  Poros,  three 
or  four  hundred  were  ill  with  fever.  The  tattered  gar- 
ments of  many  seemed  but  a  collection  of  shreds.  Pages 
of  the  Journal  are  filled  with  descriptions  of  cases  of 
special  destitution.  A  blind  woman  of  one  hundred  and 
ten  years,  emaciated,  withered,  was  still  the  sole  depend- 
ence of  three  or  four  little  ragged  great-grandchildren. 
Many  of  the  poor  were  living  in  caves.  About  two- 
thirds  were  widows  and  orphans,  "  made  so  by  the  sword 
of  the  Moslem."  At  Egina  young  girls  were  employed 
by  the  government  to  transport  stones,  found  in  the  rub- 
bish of  an  ancient  temple  of  Venus,  to  put  into  an  orphan 
asylum.  Tickets  for  food  and  clothing  were  given  out 
with  as  much  discrimination  as  possible ;  but  as  thou- 
sands crowded  to  receive  the  flour  and  clothing,  and  Dr. 
King  could  not  fully  control  the  arrangements,  more  ar 
less  friction  attended  the  distribution. 

The  letter  sent  by  the  women  of  America  to  the 
women  of  Greece  was  published  in  the  local  papers,  and 
received  with  tearful  interest,  and  a  response  was  written 
by  one  of  the  women  of  Ipsara.  Another  was  sent  from 
Athens,  and  signed  by  2,047  widows  and  orphans,  im- 
ploring a  portion  of  the  American  stores  for  their  relief. 
Beyond  even   this   demand   came   that   for  books   and 

Jonas  King.  l9 


2i3  .     yONAS  KING. 

education,  so  that  Dr.  King  wrote  to  Miss  Angelina 
Grimk^,  and  other  friends  at  home,  urging  further  help, 
in  order  that  forty  or  fifty  schools  might  be  established 
at  once. 

Napoli  and  other  places  were  visited  also,  and  the 
same  welcome  to  the  American  envoy  everywhere  ten- 
dered. It  was  striking  to  see  the  energy  which  a  pros- 
pect of  political  freedom  had  infused  into  the  schools, 
and  into  the  printing  of  new  books  for  them.  Properly 
speaking,  there  were  but  three  Greek  presses  in  Greece 
at  this  time.  Mr.  Skoufas,  a  lawyer,  said  that  "  the  first 
National  Assembly  of  the  Greeks  adopted  as  the  Civil 
code  the  Justinian  code ;  for  their  Marine  (and,  as  Col. 
Pisa  said  afterwards,  their  Military  code),  the  Code  Na- 
poleon ;  and  for  the  Criminal  code,  a  few  articles  were 
drawn  up  and  printed  by  the  Greeks  themselves  ;  that  at 
present  it  may  be  said  that  they  have  no  fixed  code  of 
laws." 

Near  Argos,  at  Mycenae,  the  tomb  of  Agamemnon,  a 
large  structure  on  the  apex  of  a  hill,  and  lighted  by  a  tri- 
angular window  at  the  top,  claimed  his  attention  for  a  few 
hours  even  from  the  pressing  wants  of  the  present. 

At  Argos,  Dr.  King  had  opportunity  to  witness  the 
varied  and  singular  ceremonies  connected  with  a  Greek 
wedding  of  that  time,  his  minute  description  of  which 
occupies  several  pages  of  the  Journal,  bringing  the  whole 
scene  to  view — the  motionless  bride,  decorated  fancifully 
with  gold-leaf,  the  patient  bridegroom  submitting  to  all 
arrangements  thought  necessary  by  his  noisy  attendants, 
the  cry,  "  The  bridegroom  cometh,"  and  the  final  throw- 


FOROS— GREECE.  219 

ing  of  a  silken  band  about  the  necks  of  bride  and  groom 
as  they  enter  their  new  home. 

At  Tripolitza  Dr.  King  felt  that  he  was  indeed  in  a 
land  desolated  by  a  barbarous  enemy.  The  ruins  were 
new,  complete,  and  prosaic.  It  had  been  destroyed  by 
Ibrahim  Pasha  just  after  the  battle  of  Navarino,  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1828.  From  here  the  way  to  Demitzana  was  but 
a  series  of  steep  ascents  and  descents,  stones,  rocks,  and 
precipices,  which,  passed  by  night,  seemed  doubly  dan- 
gerous and  appalling.  The  village  itself  was  perched  on 
the  top  of  a  mountain,  built  out  as  wide  as  it  could  be 
made,  and  around  it  were  craggy  ravines  and  jutting 
rocks,  from  which  even  daylight  could  not  dispel  the  ter- 
ror. On  Sunday,  Dr.  King,  after  the  usual  church  ser- 
vices, was  able  to  address  a  number  of  persons  who 
came  to  his  room,  giving  them  the  messages  sent  from 
America,  all  of  which  moved  many  here  as  elsewhere  to 
tears. 

An  excellent  school  was  in  existence  here,  having 
been  established  seventy  years,  and  which  was  now  under 
the  care  of  Niketopoulos,  a  liberal-minded,  intelligent 
man.  It  had  had  a  library  of  over  two  thousand  volumes, 
but  most  of  these  had  been  used  for  cartridges  the  first 
year  of  the  revolution.  Dr.  King  was  here  also  invited 
to  a  wedding  supper,  and  when  the  health  of  the  Ameri- 
can ladies  was  proposed,  for  eight  or  ten  minutes  nothing 
was  heard  but  prolonged  cheers,  "  Long  live  the  Ameri- 
can ladies  !  Long  live  the  American  ladies !"  It  was 
strange  to  hear  this  cry  in  Arcadia,  in  the  heart  of  the 
Peloponnesus. 


2  20  yONAS  KING. 

Amid  many  small  hardships,  for  want  of  suitable  clo- 
thing and  lodging,  things  which  affect  one's  comfort  more 
than  we  are  wont  to  allow,  the  tour  was  continued  into 
Sparta,  where  the  words  once  uttered  by  a  mother  of  an- 
cient time  in  giving  her  son  his  shield,  "  Either  this,  or 
upon  it,"  came  to  mind  with  full  force,  in  relation  to  the 
commission  given  to  the  Christian  missionary.  The 
shield  of  faith — or  rather  the  Lord  God  himself,  a  sun 
and  shield — is  indeed  invincible ;  therefore  in  life  or 
death  the  soldier  of  the  cross  will  be  upborne  in  safety 
unto  victory. 

Associations  less  suggestive  of  good  were  also  called 
to  mind.  A  very  ancient  stone  platform  was  shown  by 
the  guide,  on  which  those  used  to  sit  who  gave  instruc- 
tion to  the  Spartan  children  in  various  arts  and  sports  ; 
among  others,  that  of  stealing  without  being  discovered. 
In  some  of  the  villages  not  a  single  modern  Greek  Tes- 
tament was  found,  and  copies  of  it,  and  also  of  tracts, 
were  most  gladly  received. 

At  Marathonis^,  the  soldiers,  who  were  called  by 
order  of  the  governor  to  pay  respect  to  one  whose  name 
and  whose  mission  they  had  read  about  in  the  public 
prints,  quite  came  up  to  one's  ideal  of  the  Spartans  of 
old.  "  Their  countenances  were  those  of  men  bold  and 
daring,  and  their  eyes  bespoke  souls  ready  to  kindle  at 
the  slightest  offence,  and  to  pounce  upon  their  adversary 
with  all  the  swiftness  of  the  eagle.  In  short,  they  looked 
like  men  who  had  lived  in  freedom,  and  who  would  soon- 
er die  than  wear  the  yoke  of  oppression.  And  such 
indeed  is  their  character." 


FOR  OS— GREECE.  2  2 1 

There  is  ever  danger  that  new-born  liberty  may  run 
into  license.  The  captain  of  these  Spartan  soldiers  told 
Dr.  King  of  a  "delegation  assembled  at  Marathonise 
from  all  parts  of  Mani,  to  decide  upon  the  question 
whether  they  should  submit  to  pay  tithes  to  the  govern- 
ment, and  that  they  had  decided  in  the  negative  ;  that 
they  had  not  retired  to  the  mountains,  and  lived  in  hun- 
ger, and  submitted  to  every  hardship,  for  the  sake  of  free- 
dom, now  to  be  brought  into  bondage  to  a  Greek  govern- 
ment." Dr.  King  replied,  "  In  America,  where  we  are 
free,  we  do  not  consider  it  bondage  to  pay  taxes  for  the 
support  of  a  government  which  we  choose,  and  which 
cannot  be  administered  without  expense."  These  men 
really  prided  themselves  upon  their  readiness  to  take 
offence  "for  a  word  only;"  but  when  told  of  the  spirit 
of  meekness  the  Prince  of  Peace  had  come  to  establish, 
one  man  said,  "  You  turn  my  head.  What  you  say  is 
true.  This  is  what  we  need  to  hear,  and  what  we  never 
heard  before." 

The  priests  at  Marathonis6  were  obtaining  money 
from  the  people  on  a  strange  pretence.  The  bodies  of 
the  dead  were  examined  a  year  after  death,  in  order  to 
judge  of  the  present  state  of  the  soul,  and  the  bones 
finally  were  left  unburied,  if  friends  did  not  secure  a 
favorable  verdict. 

The  patriotism,  expecially  of  some  of  the  mountain 
districts  that  had  never  been  subdued  by  the  Turks, 
seemed  identical  with  that  of  ancient  Greece.  Among 
many  distinguished  families,  whom  Dr.  King  compared 
to  broken  columns  of  the  Doric  order,  that  of  the  Mav- 

19* 


222  yONAS  KING. 

romichaelis  was  recognized  as  leader.  All  the  Morea 
looked  to  them  for  guidance  during  the  late  revolution. 
"  The  time  to  raise  the  standard  being  arrived,  the  head 
of  this  family  pronounced  these  words,  which  the  Greeks 
will  never  forget :  '  When  the  liberty  of  a  whole  nation 
is  concerned,  every  feeling  of  family  must  be  extinguish- 
ed.' On  leaving  Tchimova,  an  old  lady,  who  had  shown 
great  heroism  in  the  recent  war,  brought  me  a  loaf  of 
bread,  and  presenting  it  to  me,  asked  me  for  some  books 
for  two  or  three  little  girls  who  wished  to  learn  to  read, 
and  begged  me,  if  possible,  to  establish  there  a  school  for 
the  instruction  of  females.  '  We  will  all  go  to  it,'  said 
she,  'young  and  old,  married  and  unmarried.'  I  told  her 
that  I  would  write  to  America,  and,  if  possible,  the  school 
should  be  established.  There  is  now  scarcely  a  female 
in  the  whole  country  that  knows  Alpha  from  Omega." 

Descending  now  towards  Coran,  amid  continual  dis- 
comfort through  wretched  roads  and  want  of  accustomed 
food.  Dr.  King  found  the  spiritual  and  educational  desti- 
tution greater  even  than  that  which  was  merely  tempo- 
ral. The  governor  of  Upper  Missinia  seemed  quite  sen- 
sible of  this.  He  said  that  among  ten  thousand  souls, 
not  a  single  school  existed.  In  one  district,  Ibrahim 
destroyed  two  hundred  and  ninety  thousand  olive-trees, 
and  only  ten  thousand  now  remained.  "The  governor 
took  truly  correct  views  of  the  needs  of  his  countrymen. 
'The  Americans  have  done  much  for  us,'  said  he,  'and 
we  owe  them  everlasting  gratitude  ;  but  if  they  could 
establish  schools  for  us,  the  benefit  conferred  would  be 
far  greater  than  that  of  food  and  clothing,  which  are  soon 


FOR  OS—  GREECE.  2  23 

gone,  and  we  are  left  in  the  same  situation  in  which  we 
were  before  ;  but  the  effect  of  these  schools  would  be 
without  end.' " 

At  Navarino,  fifty  or  sixty  ships  lay  at  anchor,  and  as 
the  fire  of  a  salute  roared  among  the  hills,  it  was  easy  to 
imagine  the  scene  of  Oct.,  20,  1827,  the  day  of  deliver- 
ance for  Greece. 

Corinth  reminded  Dr.  King  of  the  nobler  conflict  car- 
ried on  there  long  ago  by  the  apostle  Paul,  the  echo  of 
which  is  still  sounding  round  the  world.  The  politarch 
and  his  secretary  here  received  the  gospel  and  tracts  with 
much  feeling.  Everywhere  in  fact,  the  way  seemed  open 
for  the  truth. 

At  the  end  of  fifty-two  days,  Dr  King  came  again  to 
Egina,  finding  there  Dr.  Howe,  since  so  well  known  as 
a  Philhellenist.  Lengthened  reports  of  his  journey  Dr. 
King  now  sent  to  the  Ladies'  Committee,  whose  almon- 
er he  was,  and  his  advice  as  to  the  best  mode  of  sending 
and  distributing  such  charities  is  most  valuable. 

From  Egina  where  Dr.  King  now  again  took  up  his 
abode  for  a  season,  he  wrote  to  the  Greek  Committee  in 
New  York,  giving  his  impressions  as  to  what  could  be 
done  for  a  people  who  seemed  to  have  "  nothing  left  but 
rocks  and  liberty."  One  of  the  priests,  speaking  of  the 
thieves,  said,  "They  are  holy  men.  Go  and  see  how  they 
live,  and  you  will  pardon  them."  Dr.  King  was  anxious 
that  men  and  means  should  at  once  be  employed  to  se- 
cure the  "  House  thus  swept  and  garnished."  He  urged 
Mr.  Chauncey  Colton  to  come  to  Mani  or  Sparta,  and  es- 
tablish a  school  similar  to  the  one  at  Amherst.     Four 


224  JONAS  KING. 

such,  he  thought  greatly  needed.  But  the  church  then, 
as  now,  was  slow  to  take  advantage  of  such  calls  for  help. 

Wednesday,  Jan.  28,  1829,  appears  the  following  en- 
try :  "  At  2  p.  M.,  went  to  the  house  of  Madame  Maori, 
where  I  joined  in  holy  wedlock  Mr.  William  Black  of 
Yarmouth,  county  of  Norfolk,  England,  and  Miss  Teresa 
Maori,  youngest  daughter  of  Madame  Maori,  and  the  one 
addressed  by  Lord  Byron  in  his  poem,  'Maid  of  Athens, 
ere  we  part.  Give,  oh  give  me  back  my  heart.'  etc.  Ap- 
plication having  been  made  a  few  days  since  by  her 
mother  and  Mr.  B.  to  the  Bishop  of  Talanti  to  marry 
them,  he  refused  even  to  give  them  permission  to  be 
married  ;  and  the  especial  Ecclesiastical  Commission,  ap- 
pointed by  the  President,  also  refused  this  permission,  on 
account  of  Mr.  Black's  being  an  Englishman  and  not  of 
the  Greek  Church.  So  Mr.  Black  applied  to  me,  and 
having  no  such  scruples  as  the  Greek  bishop,  I  very 
cheerfully  consented  to  perform  th-e  ceremony." 

About  the  middle  of  February,  Dr.  King  sailed  in  an 
Austrian  Brig,  "  Onion,"  for  Smyrna,  where  he  met  a 
welcome  reception  in  the  family  of  Mr.  Mengous,  and  the 
question  long  pending  between  him  and  Miss  Annetta 
Aspasia  Mengous  was  definitely  settled.  The  journal 
records  his  gratitude,  in  view  of  these  new  prospects 
which  he  believed  were  ordained  to  promote  the  useful- 
ness of  both  himself  and  the  beautiful  Greek  lady,  a  prize 
which  it  may  be  said,  as  of  Maguori's  Indian  bride,  "  He 
bore  from  a  hundred  lovers."  Dr.  King's  next  move  was 
to  Syra,  where  an  American  school  had  been  established 
by  Mr.  Brewer,  and  thence  to  Tenos  with  Dr.  Korck  of 


FOROS— GREECE.  225 

Syra.  It  was  difficult  to  decide  upon  plans.  No  letters 
had  been  received  from  America  for  six  or  seven  months  ; 
yet  the  promises  that  God  would  direct  as  to  duty  were 
felt  to  be  sure,  and  our  missionary  stayed  himself  upon 
them.  Tenos  contained  about  sixty  villages  and  25,000 
inhabitants.  It  was  a  stronghold  of  Roman-catholicism. 
A  church,  called  Evangelistica,  had  been  built  here  on 
account  of  directions  which  an  old  nun  said  she  had  re- 
ceived in  a  dream.  Other  islands  of  the  Cyclades  were 
also  visited,  the  schools  examined,  and  addresses  made  to 
the  scholars,  where  the  same  current  of  religious  conver- 
sation went  on  as  ever,  "in  season  and  out  of  season." 
Eternity  alone  will  reveal  the  fruit  of  such  continual  seed- 
dropping. 

At  Egina,  which  seemed  headquarters  for  the  time 
being,  Dr.  King  found  his  friends,  Dr.  Anderson,  secre- 
tary of  the  American  Board,  and  Rev.  Eli  Smith,  long 
known  as  a  most  useful  missionary  at  Beyrout. 

May  20,  came  the  news  of  the  fall  of  Missolonghi 
into  the  hands  of  the  Greeks  and  public  rejoicing  fol- 
lowed. The  President  made  proclamation  that  the  peo- 
ple should  render  public  thanks  to  God  for  this  favor. 
He  also  treated  the  offer  of  help  in  establishing  schools, 
made  by  Dr.  Anderson  of  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  very  respect- 
fully, sanctioning  the  reading  in  such  schools  of  the  New 
Testament  and  the  Psalms;  but  he  wished  "to  establish 
no  precedent  which  should  hamper  him  in  case  persons 
in  whom  he  had  less  confidence  should  desire  to  do  the 
same  work.  He  disliked  gifts,  and  had  already  refused 
them  from  the  King  of  France,  and  the  Emperor  of  Rus- 


226  JONAS  KING. 

sia ;  but  if  Dr.  King  and  his  friends  cliose  to  establisli 
scliools,  no  obstacle  from  tlie  government  should  be 
placed  in  their  way.  He  wished,  however,  that  the  aid 
offered  by  the  society  should  be  placed  in  the  Greek 
bank  by  way  of  loan.  Drs.  Anderson  and  Smith  soon 
left  Egina,  but  the  seasons  of  prayer  held  together  were 
of  unspeakable  comfort  to  the  one  still  left  in  charge  of 
the  work  that  Christian  America  sought  to  do  for  Greece. 
By  request  of  the  Ladies'  New  York  Committee,  he  de- 
cided to  remain  their  almoner  for  another  year.  He 
urged  upon  these  ladies  to  establish  a  school  for  girls, 
where  they  might  learn  to  be  the  teachers  so  much 
needed  in  a  land  "  not  yet  divested  of  Turkish  ideas." 
He  wrote  on  the  same  subject  to  Miss  Margaret  Cars- 
well  Ely  of  Philadelphia,  who  was  interested  in  forming 
a  missionary  society  about  the  time  when  Dr.  King  was 
there.  Such  being  Dr.  King's  views,  it  was  indeed  in- 
spiriting to  receive  from  Miss  Angelina  Grimk^  and  her 
brother  a  timely  gift  of  ^60  for  the  above  purpose. 
Miss  Grimke  writes,  "  Thou  inquirest  whether  the  fe- 
males of  America  will  not  furnish  the  means  necessary 
for  the  establishment  of  forty  or  fifty  schools.  This 
question  I  cannot  answer,  but  that  they  can  do  it  is  very 
certain.  I  fully  believe  that  professors  spend  at  least 
fifty  dollars  annually  on  sjipcrfliwas  dress  ;  and  as  long 
as  the  ministers  of  the  gospel  do  not  disapprove  of  this 
waste  of  money,  this  sinful  conformity  to  the  vain  fashions 
of  the  world,  of  course  their  people  will  follow  their  mis- 
guided policy-conformity  to  the  world,  so  as  not  to  ren- 
der themselves  conspicuous,  forgetting  the  declaration 


FOROS— GREECE.  227 

of  the  great  Head  of  the  church,  *  Ye  are  the  light  of  the 
world.  A  city  that  is  set  on  a  hill  ca^inot  be  hid ;'  and 
the  injunction  of  the  apostle,  '  Be  not  conformed  to  this 
world.'  Perhaps  thou  mayest  feel  surprised  to  hear  such 
sentiments  from  me.  But  often  when  I  attended  the 
meetings  thou  heldest  last  winter  in  our  city,  my  heart 
was  filled  with  shame  and  sorrow,  as  I  looked  at  the  ex- 
travagant dress  of  multitudes  of  professors  who  flocked  to 
them,  and  I  often  thought,  if  primitive  Christianity  ex- 
isted among  us,  how  different  it  would  be,  and  how  much 
more  would  conveniently  be  spared  and  cheerfully  given 
to  send  the  Bible  to  the  heathen  and  to  establish  schools 
for  their  ignorant  children." 

In  1879,  would  fifty  dollars  a  year  cover  the  unneces- 
sary expenditure  for  dress  of  Christian  women  } 

All  this  time  the  work  of  Bible  and  tract  distribution 
was  going  on.  One  man  gladly  exchanged  a  pack  of 
cards  for  a  Testament,  which  he  was  more  than  once 
seen  reading  to  his  companions. 

July  22,  1829,  Dr.  King  was  married  at  Tenos  to 
Miss  Annetta  Aspasia  Mengous.  The  ceremony  was 
performed  by  Rev.  Rufus  Anderson,  secretary  of  A.  B. 
C.  F.  M.  with  Rev.  Eli  Smith  as  bridesman  ;  also  reading 
the  Scriptures.  A  house  was  taken  at  Tenos,  and  ar- 
rangements made  for  a  school  for  girls ;  and  Dr.  King 
writes  to  New  York  of  the  interest  his  wife  was  taking 
in  its  establishment  and  superintendence.  The  Greeks 
seemed  much  pleased  at  this  event.  It  brought  one  who 
had  come  to  them  a  stranger  into  identity  of  interest 
with  themselves.     The  school  soon  increased  in   num- 


228  JONAS  KING. 

bers.  Other  encouragement  was  given.  In  one  of  the 
villages  about  twenty  women  met  every  Lord's  day  when 
one  would  read  aloud  to  the  others  from  a  Testament 
which  Dr.  King  had  given  her. 

While  it  is  essential  to  make  record  of  Dr,  King's 
marriage,  an  event  of  such  importance  in  every  one's 
history,  the  public  are  little  concerned  to  know  the  de- 
tails of  a  missionary's  domestic  life.  Suffice  it  to  say, 
that  in  the  hope  Dr.  King  cherished,  that  an  alliance 
with  the  Greek  nation  would  be  of  advantage  to  his  work, 
he  was  not  disappointed.  More  than  once  in  his  after- 
history,  his  wife's  influence  was  so  strong,  as  probably 
to  save  his  life,  and  secure  him  from  ultra-persecution. 
A  family  of  six  daughters  and  one  son  was  given  them. 
Five  of  these  daughters,  with  Mrs.  King,  yet  survive  in 
1879.  Three  of  the  daughters  are  settled  in  homes  of 
their  own  in  America  ;  one  is  married  to  a  gentleman 
living  in  Constantinople,  and  another  to  an  Englishman 
well-known  as  in  high  position  in  diplomatic  circles. 

Much  interest  continued  to  be  felt  in  the  United 
States  in  regard  to  Greece.  Rev.  Matthias  Bruen  wrote 
at  much  length  to  Dr.  King,  as  to  what  might  be  done 
for  its  elevation,  by  promoting  common-school  education, 
and  the  following  gentlemen  living  in  New  York  were 
suggested  as  a  Greek  School  Committee :  "  The  Hon. 
Albert  Gallatin,  Mr.  Arthur  Tappan,  Rev.  Mr.  Bruen, 
Mr.  Knowles  Taylor,  Seth  P.  Staples,  Esq.,  Eleazer  Lord, 
Esq.,  Dr.  Samuel  Akerly,  Mr.  Richard  T.  Haines." 

Rev.  Mr.  Bruen  writes,  "  Your  letters  have  done  and 
will  do  immense  good." 


rOROS— GREECE.  229 

To  show  the  need  of  enlightenment  in  Greece,  it  is 
only  necessary  to  speak  of  a  strange  custom  observed 
by  the  priests,  of  baptizing  not  merely  the  people  and 
their  houses,  but  the  sea.  Dr.  King  describes  the  scene : 
"  After  we  had  waited  some  time  at  the  shore,  the  bishop 
came  and  threw  a  cross  into  the  sea.  Six  men  stood  ready 
to  plunge  in  to  find  it,  and  the  one  who  was  so  fortunate 
as  to  seize  it  received  from  the  bishop  a  present  of  mon- 
ey, and  then  went  about  from  house  to  house  to  receive 
it  from  others.  After  this  ceremony,  the  bishop  went 
also  from  house  to  house,  to  sprinkle  holy  water,  and  to 
receive  money  from  those  he  visited.  At  one  of  these 
visits,  I  and  my  wife  happened  to  be  present,  but  he  did 
not  even  speak  to  us,  nor  make  the  least  sign  of  recogni- 
tion. It  is  most  evident  that  he  is  by  no  means  friendly 
to  us." 

In  January,  1830,  Mr.  J.  Evarts  wrote  to  Mrs.  Pela- 
tiah  Perit,  urging  the  desire  of  the  American  Board  that 
Dr.  King  should  become  their  missionary  in  Greece,  in 
case  the  Ladies'  Committee  in  New  York  would  release 
him  ;  and  Dr.  King  was  eminently  qualified  to  carry  out 
their  plans  at  the  same  time,  of  going  largely  into  the 
business  of  providing  school-books  for  Greece. 

The  Board  would  also  provide  an  assistant.  Mrs. 
Hurd,  secretary,  answered  that  the  Ladies'  Committee 
were  pledged  to  support  Dr.  King  another  year,  but  that 
they  had  no  right  or  desire  to  control  his  inclinations 
farther,  although  willing  to  continue  their  efforts  through 
him.  All  seemed  to  desire  that  Dr.  King  should  be  em- 
ployed in  a  way  to  be  most  useful.     His  friend  S.  V.  S. 

Jonas  Kins.  20 


23 o  yONAS  KING. 

Wilder  saw  he  was  now  at  disadvantage  from  having  it 
supposed  that  he  had  ample  funds  at  his  command, 
which  he  had  not,  and  the  letter  from  him  proposed  that 
$5,000  should  at  once  be  raised.  Mr.  Chester  approving 
this,  yet  urged  that  such  funds  be  placed  in  the  treasu- 
ry of  the  American  Board,  that  there  should  thus  be  one 
head,  unifying  efforts  for  Greece — which  experience 
proved  it  was  important  to  do. 

It  may  well  be  seen  that  Dr.  King  was  in  a  somewhat 
trying  position.  He  says,  "  If  I  know  my  own  heart,  I 
Vv^ish  to  labor  in  such  connection  and  such  manner,  as 
may  best  forward  the  interests  of  the  cause  of  Christ  in 
this  country.  I  laid  the  subject  before  Him  who  has 
hitherto  dealt  wonderfully  with  me,  and  who  alone  can 
give  wisdom,  and  direct  me  in  that  way  which  shall  be 
for  the  best."  After  friendly  correspondence.  Dr.  King 
left  the  subject  to  the  decision  of  the  Ladies'  Committee, 
expressing  full  confidence  as  to  the  large-hearted  views 
they  would  be  enabled  to  take.  Dr.  King's  first  knowl- 
edge of  the  issue  was  ten  months  after,  March,  1 831,  in 
the  Missionary  Herald  of  December,  1830,  which  stated 
that  his  connection  with  the  American  Board  was  again 
resumed.  Special  contributions  made  by  Ezra  M.  Ely 
and  family  of  Philadelphia,  and  others,  were  most  oppor- 
tune, and  no  time  was  lost  to  the  cause  in  general ;  for 
while  Dr.  King's  relations  to  workers  at  home  were  be- 
ing settled,  the  work  practically  was  not  disturbed.  Now 
and  then  some  opposition  was  shown  by  the  bishop, 
which  usually  proved  to  be  of  advantage,  as  when  Prince 
Vlachoutsa  of  Russia  with  his  son  visited  the  school  on 


FOR  OS— GREECE.  23 1 

account  of  reports  against  it ;  but  he  examined  the  cate- 
chisms, and  said  that,  so  far  from  finding  anything  bad 
in  them,  he  was  so  highly  delighted  as  to  ask  for  a  copy 
to  use  in  his  own  family.  Sometimes  it  was  whispered 
that  Dr.  King  was  a  Jesuit.  To  this  his  friends  replied 
that  he  and  his  ancestors  had  suffered  so  much  from 
Roman-catholics,  that  it  was  not  likely  that  he  had  come 
to  preach  their  doctrines. 

As  to  Dr.  King's  daily  life,  every  hour  seems  to  have 
had  its  allotted  duty,  systematized  in  a  way  most  worthy 
of  imitation.  He  thought  it  important  that  he  should 
understand  thoroughly  the  past  history  of  the  Greek 
Church,  and  so  spent  much  time  in  examining  the  Apos- 
tolical canons,  and  the  records  of  different  councils,  and 
others  of  the  writings  of  the  fathers  which  were  received 
by  the  priests  as  of  authority.  Thus  he  became  quali- 
fied, as  after-years  proved,  to  answer  from  the  mouth  of 
their  own  standards  the  errors  which  in  these  modern 
times  prevailed  among  them. 

It  was  encouraging  to  Dr.  King  to  notice  the  atten- 
tion with  which  his  scholars  listened  to  the  exposition  of 
the  word  of  God.  A  poor  ignorant  woman  whose  mother 
and  brother  had  been  killed  by  the  Turks,  and  her  sister 
carried  into  captivity,  was  determined  to  become  a  nun. 
Dr.  King  persuaded  her  first  to  learn  to  read,  then  to 
study  the  Gospels  before  deciding  the  matter.  He  gave 
her  a  home  in  his  house  for  six  months,  also  other  assis- 
tance, until  money  was  raised  to  send  her  to  her  native 
place. 


232  yONAS  KING. 


CHAPTER    XV. 

ATHENS. 

Persecutions  of  Asaad  el  Shidiak  in  Syria— Drs.  Anderson  and  Eli 
Smith— Death  of  Dr.  King's  Father— Doctorate  Conferred. 

Early  in  September,  1830,  Dr.  King  visited  Athens 
for  the  first  time.  So  much  property  had  been  confis- 
cated there,  that  in  view  of  the  best  interests  of  his  fam- 
ily and  his  probable  removal  there,  he  thought  it  wise  to 
secure  some  lots  then  offered  for  sale.  A  bargain  was 
made,  when  Dr.  King  found  the  lock  of  his  trunk  had 
been  broken  and  the  money  was  gone.  The  thief  was 
soon  found  ;  the  police  required  him  to  write  a  confes- 
sion. This  done,  the  young  thief  threw  himself  down 
from  the  tower  where  he  was  confined,  full  forty-eight 
feet.  Life  still  remained.  The  government  ordered  a 
sheep  to  be  killed,  in  the  skin  of  which  he  was  placed, 
and  given  into  the  physician's  hands.  The  man  finally 
recovered,  and  called  on  Dr.  and  Mrs.  King  about  si.x 
months  after,  expressing  great  penitence,  and  the  gov- 
ernment of  Lebadra,  in  returning  the  money,  minus  ex- 
penses, sent  a  strong  letter  of  acknowledgment  "  to  the 
most  noble  Philhellen,  Mr.  Jonas  King,  for  his  forbear- 
ance, saying  all  sensible  Greeks  admired  the  greatness 
of  his  soul  in  not  prosecuting  the  offender  further."  The 
government  was  grateful  for  the  continued  assistance 
received  from  America  through  the  American  Board  and 


ATHENS.  233 

other  channels.  An  invoice  of  slates  and  pencils  sent  in 
1 83 1  was  particularly  welcome. 

Yet  when  the  truth,  which  as  a  Christian  missionary 
Dr.  King  took  pains  to  scatter  everywhere  and  at  all 
times,  took  effect  in  the  heart,  persecution  only  less  se- 
vere than  that  meted  out  to  Asaad  el  Shidiak,  whose 
death  occurred  about  this  time,  very  often  followed.  A 
Cretan  Meledon  had  been  introduced  to  Dr.  King  by  Dr. 
Korck.  This  man  had  read  Dr.  King's  Farewell  Letter, 
and  desired  to  see  the  writer  and  learn  the  word  of  God 
more  perfectly.  Upon  his  return  to  Crete  he  began 
there  the  distribution  of  the  Bible  and  other  books. 
Many  opposed  and  tried  to  silence  him,  but  in  vain.  "At 
length  one  night  several  men  came  to  his  house  and 
called  to  him  to  come  with  them  to  administer  medicine 
(as  he  professed  to  know  something  of  medicine)  to  a 
member  of  the  Council,  one  of  the  principal  men  of  the 
place.  This,  he  told  them,  he  could  not  do,  as  he  was 
unwell  and  in  his  bed,  and  besides,  he  had  no  medicines. 
They  then  began  to  speak  in  a  different  manner  and  to 
revile  him,  and  at  length  dragged  him  out  of  his  house 
and  beat  him  most  severely,  and  led  him  to  the  brow  of  a 
steep  place  and  cast  him  down  headlong.  Afterwards  one 
took  out  a  knife  in  order  to  cut  his  throat,  but  his  com- 
panions said  this  was  going  too  far,  and  prevented  him 
from  being  killed,  and  left  him.  In  consequence  of  his 
bruises  he  was  confined  to  his  bed  for  about  three 
months." 

The  story  of  Asaad  el  Shidiak  has  been  given  in  full 
by  Dr.  Isaac  Bird  in  his  little  book,  "  The  Martyr  of  Leb- 


254  yONAS  KING. 

anon,"  and  also  by  Rev.  Rufus  Anderson,  D.  D.,  in  his 
history  of  the  missions  of  the  American  Board.  Yet 
the  experience  and  fate  of  this  man  were  as  a  baptism  of 
blood  to  Dr.  King's  evangelistic  labors,  and  therefore 
must  not  be  passed  over.  Suffice  it  to  say,  Asaad  el  Shi- 
cliak  was  a  very  intelligent  Maronite,  highly  esteemed  in 
Syria  as  a  teacher  and  public  lecturer.  When  the  patri- 
arch issued  a  proclamation  against  the  missionaries, 
Asaad  wished  to  answer  their  reply  to  it,  but  for  some 
reason  was  not  suffered  to  do  so  by  the  patriarch.  He 
soon  afterwards,  in  1825,  became  Dr.  King's  teacher  in 
Arabic,  and  as  such  assisted  him  in  preparing  his  cele- 
brated "  Farewell  Letter,"  holding  with  him  at  the  same 
time  many  discussions  as  to  the  truth.  After  Dr.  King 
had  gone,  Asaad  was  asked  by  the  missionaries  at  Bey- 
rout  to  teach  an  Arabic  grammar-school  for  native  boys. 
This  he  did,  but  gave  his  leisure  to  attempting  a  refuta- 
tion of  the  doctrines  in  Dr.  King's  "  Letter."  While  do- 
ing this  he  was  led  to  read  the  twenty-ninth  chapter  of 
Isaiah,  and  the  rest  of  that  prophecy,  and  then  to  the 
study  of  the  New  Testament.  This  was  the  means  of 
his  conversion.  He  was  now  thoroughly  convinced  of 
the  errors  in  which  he  had  been  trained ;  and  although 
threatened  by  the  patriarch,  engaged  himself  to  Mr.  Bird 
for  a  year,  and  protection  was  obtained  for  him  from  Mr. 
Abbott  the  English  consul  at  Beyrout. 

Asaad  was  confiding  in  disposition,  and  therefore  too 
easily  taken  in  when,  through  his  relatives,  the  priests 
contrived  to  get  him  into  their  power.  He  was  taken  to 
the  Convent  of  St.  Alma,  where  he  had  daily  controversy 


ATHENS.  235 

with  the  patriarch,  bishop,  and  others.  Three  things 
were  before  him,  either  to  be  regarded  as  mad,  to  com- 
mit sin,  or  offer  up  his  life.  Sometimes  promotion  was 
offered  him  if  he  would  recant  his  so-called  heretical  opin- 
ions. But  his  answer  ever  was,  "  I  will  hold  fast  the 
religion  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  I  am  ready  for  the  sake  of 
it  to  shed  my  blood  ;  and  though  you  all  should  become 
infidels,  yet  will  not  I."  Asaad  escaped  for  a  time  from 
his  persecutors,  but  was  recaptured  by  them  and  thrown 
into  prison.  Here  he  was  put  in  chains  and  beaten  a 
certain  number  of  stripes  daily.  His  allowance  for  food 
each  day  was  six  thin  cakes  of  bread  and  a  cup  of  water. 
Sometimes  the  thin  flat  mat  used  as  a  bed  was  taken 
from  him,  and  a  heavy  chain  fastened  his  neck  to  the 
wall.  The  door  to  his  dungeon  was  walled  up,  so  that 
there  was  no  access  to  it  except  through  a  small  loop- 
hole. Its  state  cannot  be  described.  His  death  is  sup- 
posed to  have  occurred  in  October,  1830.  In  one  respect 
it  was  like  that  of  Moses,  no  one  among  his  friends  knows 
of  his  sepulchre  ;  but  the  Lord  is  faithful,  and  precious 
in  his  sight  is  the  dust  now  somewhere  awaiting  the  res- 
urrection. His  record  is  on  high,  as  well  as  in  the  annals 
of  a  true  Christianity  now  reviving  in  the  East. 

In  December,  1830,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Hill,  missionaries 
of  the  Episcopal  church  of  America,  arrived  at  Tenos, 
also  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Robertson.  Dr.  King  writes  :  "  I  had 
the  pleasure  of  giving  them  a  most  hearty  welcome  to 
my  house." 

In  April,  1831,  Dr.  King  revisited  Athens,  as  yet  oc- 
cupied  by  the  Turks,  and  secured   the  premises  for  a 


-Z^  yO.VAS  KING. 

school  which  had  been  recommended  to  him  by  M.  Con- 
stantine,  and  also  engaged  an  agent  to  sell  Bibles.  The 
first  boy  who  entered  the  school  when  opened  was  named 
"  Saviour,"  and  the  first  girl,  "  Peace." 

Dr.  King  also  opened  a  preaching  service  at  this  time, 
and  records,  May  8,  1831,  "God  has  blessed  me  in  all  I 
have  as  yet  undertaken  in  Athens;"  and  amid  subse- 
quent discouragements,  sometimes  through  coldness  or 
misapprehension  of  friends,  even  of  some  coming  from 
America,  he  was  able  to  work  on,  "as  seeing  Him  who 
is  invisible."  Such  feeling  found  expression  in  several 
Greek  hymns  written  by  him  about  this  time. 

At  times  a  hundred  would  be  present  in  the  school- 
room Sunday  mornings,  and  forty  or  fifty  in  his  own 
house  in  the  afternoon.  Nor  were  home  efforts  without 
fruit.  "  One  day  Sophia,  our  servant-girl,  said  that  when 
she  went  a  few  days  since  to  confess  to  the  priest,  she 
told  him  that  she  no  longer  worshipped  pictures,  and  ex- 
plained to  him  what  I  teach  in  my  house,  and  that  the  rea- 
son why  she  did  not  often  go  to  church  was  because  she 
heard  the  Scriptures  morning  and  evening  at  my  house, 
whereas  in  church  she  heard  whispering  and  talking  that 
she  could  not  understand.  The  priest  said  that  Mr.^King 
must  know  better  than  he  did,  because  he  had  been  to 
Jerusalem  and  had  seen  the  holy  places.  He  remarked 
to  her,  however,  that  he  had  heard  or  supposed  that  we 
bought  some  of  the  old  idols  (antiquities)  for  the  purpose 
of  worshipping  them.  She  told  him  that  it  was  not  so, 
for  she  had  been  long  in  my  house  and  had  never  seen 
any  such  thing." 


ATHENS.  237 

Dr.  King's  own  house  needed  so  much  rebuilding 
that  the  coming  of  his  family  there  was  quite  delayed, 
and  this  the  longer  as  the  Greek  artisans  observed  so 
many  saints'  days  as  to  interfere  very  much  with  their 
labor. 

While  in  Smyrna,  in  October,  1831,  Dr.  King  received 
from  Dr.  Rufus  Anderson  a  letter  of  importance,  telling 
of  movements  in  New  York  to  have  him  transferred  from 
Greece  to  France  and  other  countries  where  the  French 
language  is  spoken,  in  case  he  should  think  it  expedient 
to  leave  Athens.  Other  missionaries  had  come  to  Ath- 
ens, and  were  beginning  schools  there.  Dr.  Anderson 
himself  hesitated  as  to  whether  his  friend  ought  to  leave. 
He  writes  :  "  Since  I  have  read  your  last  communications 
my  doubts  are  greatly  increased.  Where  is  there  the 
missionary  whom  the  government  of  the  country  has 
been  more  forward  to  honor  in  view  of  the  people  than 
yourself  in  Greece  .-'  If  you  leave,  who  shall  circulate  our 
books  in  Greece .''     We  are  looking  for  a  man  to  send  to 

your  aid Travel  occasionally.     Keep  your  eyes  and 

ears  always  open  and  write  constantly,  and  with  the 
blessing  of  God  you  may  yet. again  excite  a  great  inter- 
est in  Greece  as  a  field  of  missions." 

The  possibilities  opened  in  this  letter  were  most  un- 
expected to  our  missionary.  Strong  ties  drew  him  to 
both  fields.  Times  calling  for  immediate  and  important 
decisions  come  into  every  life.  As  one  marks  the  events 
in  a  Christian's  earthly  career,  particularly  if  now  fin- 
ished, he  almost  wonders  at  the  anxieties  felt ;  for  above 
all  and  through  all,  from  such  an  outside  stand-point  the 


238  yOiVAS  KING. 

guiding-  hand  of  an  all-wise,  loving  Father  is  distinctly 
seen,  disentangling  every  difficulty  and  bringing  good 
out  of  seeming  evil.  Yet  in  the  heat  of  the  conflict 
how  hard  to  practise  at  all  times  the  lesson,  "  Rest  in 
the  Lord,"  "  Wait  also  on  him."  This,  Dr.  King  was 
at  this  time  able  to  do.  He  says :  "  I  want  to  be  en- 
lightened on  the  subject  by  the  providences  of  Him 
who  governs  all  things  in  an  inscrutable  and  marvellous 
manner." 

The  death  of  Jeremiah  Evarts,  secretary,  with  other 
causes,  delayed  the  decision.  We  know  the  result :  Dr. 
King  remained  in  Athens. 

The  cholera  was  now  raging.  Guns  were  fired  to 
purify  the  air.  The  priests  of  Cooklegah  walked  about 
the  village  in  procession  with  their  images,  and  gave  per- 
mission to  all  to  come  and  partake  of  the  communion, 
even  without  confession ;  so  great  was  the  consterna- 
tion with  regard  to  the  cholera,  and  the  feeling  that  all 
ought  to  be  ready  for  a  sudden  exit  from  this  world. 
This  step  was  enough  to  show  that  the  priests  did  not 
consider  confession  as  necessary  to  salvation. 

The  missionaries  were  all  obliged  for  a  while  to  leave 
the  city. 

A  treaty  had  been  made  about  this  time  between  the 
Grand  Seigneur  and  the  United  States.  Dr.  King  says  : 
"  Like  the  contract  made  by  the  prophet  Jeremiah  with 
Hanameel,  his  uncle's  son,  for  his  field  in  Anathoth, 
there  were  two  writings — the  one  sealed,  and  the  other 
open,  I  only  saw  the  one  which  was  sealed,  and  which 
I  understood  from  M.  H.  was  not  to  be  opened  at  all. 


ATHENS.  239 

but  that  there  was  another  which  contained  the  same 
articles.     See  Jer.  32:6-12." 

These  pages  cannot  give  any  history  of  Greek  affairs, 
yet  the  assassination  of  the  president,  Capodistria,  in 
October,  1831,  by  Constantine  and  George  Mavromi- 
chaeHs,  should  be  noticed.  One  of  these  men  was  killed 
on  the  spot,  and  the  other  was  soon  given  up  by  the 
French — laws  of  equity  ruling,  rather  than  those  of  tech- 
nical extradition.  This  event  helps  one  understand  how 
the  unsettled  state  of  the  country  made  persistent  Chris- 
tian work  there  doubly  difficult. 

There  was  much  suffering.  When  in  Smyrna,  Mrs. 
King  collected  money  for  the  poor,  and  was  asked  to 
superintend  the  distribution  of  it,  which  was  of  advan- 
tage to  missionary  effort  among  them.  The  ignorance 
of  many  of  the  people  about  equalled  their  destitution. 
A  monk  attending  one  of  the  schools  said  one  day  he 
had  heard  Dr.  King  pray  that  God  would  enlighten 
idolaters,  and  he  wished  to  know  if  there  were  any  such 
in  the  world  now.  A  certain  bishop  also  wrote  to  Dr. 
King  in  a  way  that  called  forth  from  him  the  following 
answer : 

"  To  THE  Bishop  of  T.  and  Deputy-bishop  of  A. : 
Yesterday  I  received  your  friendly  letter,  dated  June  21, 
1833,  in  which  you  say  you  have  often  observed  little 
books  printed  at  Malta  and  from  other  presses,  which 
are  not  suitable  to  be  given  as  presents  or  rewards,  ac- 
cording to  my  custom,  to  youth  ;  and  you  beg  me  that 
this  may  henceforth  cease,  as  the  Greek  youth  are  mor- 
tally injured. 


2  40  yONAS  KING. 

"  I  beg  therefore  that  you  will  send  me  a  catalogue 
of  the  above-mentioned  books  by  which  in  your  opinion 
'  the  Greek  youth  are  mortally  injured,'  that  I  may  ex- 
amine them  carefully,  and  if  I  find  in  them  anything  con- 
trary to  the  Holy  Scriptures,  cease  immediately  from  dis- 
tributing them,  and  I  remain,  yours, 

"JONAS  KING. 
"Athens,  July  6,  1833." 

No  immediate  reply  was  sent,  but  about  three  months 
after  these  objections  were  virtually  withdrawn.  One 
book  alone  was  complained  of,  and  this  Dr.  King  had  not 
distributed  at  Athens,  though  a  copy  of  it  might  have 
been  lent  from  his  own  library.  "  Peter  Parley's  Geog- 
raphy" was  suffered  to  pass,  though  it  said  something  in 
regard  to  feasts  appointed  by  the  pope,  which  might  as 
truly  apply  to  those  in  the  Greek  church,  and  which  the 
missionaries  of  the  Episcopal  Board  cut  out  from  the 
copies  used  by  them. 

On  an  excursion  made  near  Syra,  a  boy  came  asking 
for  a  tract ;  but  after  retiring  to  a  little  distance,  held  it 
up  and  tore  it  to  pieces.  It  was  a  copy  of  the  Ten  Com- 
mandments, and  it  was  found  out  afterwards  that  the 
priests  had  supposed  that  Dr.  King  had  printed  the  words 
of  the  preface,  "  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  who  brought 
thee  out  of  the  house  of  bondage,"  in  reference  to  M7n- 
self. 

On  the  other  hand,  light  appeared  in  other  directions. 
Dr.  King  speaks  of  calUng  "  on  Pharmakides,  who  read 
to  me  a  piece  which  he  had  written  on  the  subject  of 
church  dignities,  to  show  that  the  primitive  church  gov- 


ATHENS.  241 

ernment  was  democratic.  He  is  undoubtedly  the  most 
intelligent  priest  and  most  learned  theologian  now  in 
Greece.  I  trust  the  time  is  coming  when  the  church 
generally  will  rise  to  the  simplicity  of  the  first  century, 
and  when  bishops  shall  lose  that  temporal  power  which 
they  received  from  men,  and  seek  for  nothing  more  than 
that  equality  which  the  gospel  teaches." 

The  above  gentleman  was  not  in  favor,  however,  of 
outside  influence  in  the  work  of  purifying  the  church 
from  error,  preferring  to  wait  until  men  of  intelligence 
connected  with  it  should  unite  in  throwing  away  the 
idols. 

Intercourse  with  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Korck  and  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Benjamin,  the  latter  of  whom  Dr.  King  once  re- 
ceived into  his  house  after  shipwreck,  and  also  with 
Greek  gentlemen  of  large  views  with  regard  to  the  inter- 
ests of  their  country,  was  a  source  of  real  comfort.  In 
July,  1832,  the  national  newspaper,  published  at  Napoli, 
gave  a  very  fair  statement  of  the  work  undertaken  by 
our  missionary,  which  may  be  found  in  the  closing 
chapter. 

In  whatever  arrangements  Dr.  King  made  at  any 
time,  the  care  of  his  parents  was  considered  by  him  a 
paramount  duty;  and  with  regard  to  them,  and  indeed 
as  to  all  his  affairs,  he  often  wrote  at  great  length  to  his 
faithful  friend,  Rev.  Wm.  A.  Hallock,  D.  D.,  sometimes 
saying,  "  Your  word  is  as  good  as  your  bond."  Memo- 
ries of  Dr.  King's  early  home  were  constantly  brought 
back  to  him  by  the  scenes  of  the  present. 

"September  i,  1832.     Near  sunset  I  walked  in  my 

Jonas  Kin:;.  J^  \ 


>= 


242  JONAS  KING. 

garden  and  stood  by  the  side  of 'a  little  mulberry-tree, 
the  only  tree  in  my  garden,  and  thought  of  the  little 
sprout,  now  a  large  elm,  by  my  father's  house,  near  which 
the  lio-ht  of  heaven  first  broke  in  upon  my  soul.  Shall  I 
live  thouo'ht  I,  to  see  this  mulberry  increase  in  size  as 
the  elm  had  increased  when  I  last  saw  it  ?  Twenty-five 
years  more  will  bring  me  near  to  the  term  of  life  allotted 
to  man.  How  soon  will  it  pass  away,  even  should  I  live 
so  long  !     Am  I  ready  T 

In  January,  1833,  Dr.  Riggs  arriving  in  Athens, 
brought  news  that  Dr.  King's  beloved  and  venerated  fa- 
ther was  beyond  the  need  of  any  further  care.  "He  told 
me  he  died  in  a  most  happy  manner.  I  could  not  but 
weep,  though  I  felt  assured  that  my  dear  father  was  now 
in  the  joy  of  his  Lord.  Among  the  last  words  my  father 
uttered  when  I  last  bade  him  farewell,  and  I  asked, 
*  Have  you  anything  to  say  to  me .-''  were,  '  Nothing  but 
that  God  may  be  glorified  in  you.'  I  often  think  of  it. 
What  can  I  desire  more  or  better  .-• 

"  On  arriving  at  my  house  I  welcomed  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Riggs  to  it,  introduced  them  to  my  family,  and  then  we 
united  in  prayer.  Afterwards  I  retired  for  a  few  mo- 
ments to  my  chamber  to  weep  and  pray  alone.  I  blessed 
the  Father  of  all  mercies  for  having  given  such  grace  to 
my  father  as  to  triumph  over  death,  which  he  had  for- 
merly so  much  feared,  and  that  He  had  glorified  His  great 
name  in  showing  to  all  who  were  acquainted  with  my 
father  that  He  is  a  God  of  mercy  and  truth,  and  will  never 
leave  the  humble  and  contrite  man  who  trembleth  at  His 
word." 


ATHENS.  243 

A  letter  soon  came  from  his  bereaved  mother,  saying, 
"  Ah,  my  dear  son,  if  I  could  see  you  I  could  talk  more 
in  one  hour  than  I  could  write  in  a  great  while.  My  son, 
I  never  expect  to  see  you  again  in  this  world.  Do  n't  you 
go  one  step  out  of  the  path  of  duty  for  me.  Your  father 
said  a  great  deal  about  the  love  of  God,  and  his  soul  was 
full  of  that  love." 

Dr.  Riggs  brought  him  twenty-eight  letters  from 
America,  a  list  of  the  writers  of  which  appears  in  the 
diary.  This  private  express  brings  vividly  to  mind  the 
changes  made  in  postal  service  all  over  the  world,  even 
during  the  past  few  years. 

A  monument,  yet  to  be  seen  by  any  visitor  to  Haw-   >i- 
ley,  Mass.,  bears  the  following  inscription  : 

"  Sacred 

TO   THE   MEMORY   OP 

MR.    JONAS    KING, 

THE  VENERABLE  FATHER 

OF  THE  DISTINGUISHED 

REV.  JONAS  KING,  D.  D., 

MISSIONARY  TO  PALESTINE  AND  GREECE." 

On  being  asked  by  a  friend  if  he  felt  any  regret  in 
parting  with  his  son  as  a  missionary  to  the  heathen,  this 
father  in  Israel  replied,  "  '  God  so  loved  the  world,  that 
he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth 
in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life,'  and 
shall  I  withhold  my  only  son  from  obeying  the  com- 
mandment of  our  ascending  Saviour,  who  said,  '  Go  ye 


244  JONAS  KING. 

into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  crea- 
ture' ?" 

Mr.  King  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  in  Hawley.  He 
lived,  in  example  and  precept,  a  life  of  hol'ness. 

He  died  September  20,  1832,  aged  'jZ  years,  having  a 
blissful  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  and  an  unshaken  hope  of  a 
glorious  immortality. 

His  last  words  were, 

"  How  often  shall  my  pulses  beat 
Before  my  bliss  shall  be  complete  ? 
Come,  Lord  Jesus,  oh,  come  quickly." 

"  Ask  you  my  name  ?  't  is  Jonas  King. 

Beneath  these  clods  I  lie. 
In  life  I  suffered  much  from  sin, 

And  sin  caused  me  to  die. 
But  by  the  blessed  Jesus,  I 

Do  hope  to  rise  again  ; 
I  then  shall  live,  and  never  die, 

And  praise  the  Lord.     Amen." 

Another  of  these  letters  was  from  Dr.  Carnahan  of 
Princeton,  announcing  the  conferring  of  a  title,  not  so 
common  then  as  now,  and  of  which  Dr.  King  says  :  "  I 
suppose  that  it  is  considered  by  my  friends  that  it  will 
give  me  some  influence  and  be  the  means  of  promoting 
the  cause  of  Christ,  but  I  doubt  whether  such  means 
should  be  employed."  His  visiting-card  always  still  read 
simply  "Jonas  King." 

In  April,  1834,  Dr.  A.  G.  Paspati  came  as  special 
messenger  in  a  vessel,  chartered  for  the  purpose,  from 
the   missionaries  at   Constantinople,  proposing  that   Dr. 


ATHENS.  245 

Riggs  should  go  to  Persia  with  Mr.  Perkins.  Just  be- 
fore receiving  this  message  he  and  Dr.  King  had  been 
speaking  of  the  strong  attachment  they  were  beginning 
to  feel  for  Athens  and  the  work  there ;  so  this  new 
question  was  trying,  as  well  as  sudden.  On  the  whole. 
Dr.  Riggs  decided  not  to  leave  Greece  at  present.  Dr. 
King  himself  was  invited  before  long  to  come  to  Napoli, 
but  he  also  declined  making  a  "  change  of  base." 


21* 


246  JONAS  KING. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

MISSIONARY  WORK  NEEDED  IN  THE  EAST. 

Indulgences — Infidelity — Errors  and  Superstitions — Worship  of 
Virgin  Mary — Relics — Bones  of  St.  Antipas — Image-worship 
— Letter  to  Society  of  Inquiry,  Princeton. 

Examples  have  already  been  given,  showing  clearly 
how  far  the  Papal  and  Oriental  churches  have  lapsed  from 
the  simplicity  of  the  gospel.  Many  others  are  found  scat- 
tered here  and  there  in  Dr.  King's  Journals.  Let  a  few 
of  these  speak  more  loudly  than  words  can  do,  of  the 
necessity  of  such  work  as  that  in  which  he  was  engaged. 

"  Tuesday,  Oct.  29,  1832.  Mr.  Venthylos  showed  me  a 
curious  document  which  he  found  some  years  since  on  Mt. 
Athos;  a  letter  signed  by  the  patriarch  of  Constantinople, 
and  twelve  bishops  (the  whole  Synod),  and  given  to  a  monk 
on  Mount  Athos,  in  March,  18 16,  stating  that  by  the 
power  given  unto  them  to  bind  or  loose,  his  sins  were  all 
pardoned,  of  whatever  nature  or  kind  they  might  have 
been ;  if  he  had  disobeyed  God,  broken  his  command- 
ments, despised  Jesus  Christ,  and  been  an  atheist,  etc., 
they  were  all  pardoned,  both  for  this  world  and  that 
which  is  to  come,  and  that,  even  should  he  be  under  the 
censure  or  excommunication  of  any  priest,  bishop,  etc. 
I  wished  to  take  a  copy  of  it,  but  he  was  not  willing  to 
give  it. 

"  March  6,  1834.    This  is  what  is-called  by  the  Greeks, 


MISSIONARY  WORK  IN  THE  EAST.        247 

Tcheknepefti,  which  I  should  translate  Singe-Thurs- 
day— as  on  this  day  they  are  accustomed  to  kill  a  fowl 
or  turkey,  and  pick  it,  and  then  singe  the  small  feathers 
as  we  do  usually  in  the  fire — in  other  words,  to  prepare 
it  for  Saturday  and  Sunday  next,  after  which  the  feast 
begins. 

"  Went  with  my  wife  to  call  on  Prince  Karagin.  His 
wife  expressed  herself  in  a  shocking  manner  against 
God  and  his  government ;  expressed  a  doubt  with  regard 
to  revealed  religion,  and  the  prince  talked  like  an  infidel. 
The  captain  of  the  Guards  also  was  present,  and  took 
part  with  them.  By  the  grace  of  God  I  was  enabled  to 
speak  boldly  for  Christ  and  God's  holy  word. 

"April  20,  1834.  After  the  service  at  my  house  in 
the  afternoon,  several  of  the  scholars  asked  me  questions 
about  the  Scriptures,  such  as  'Did  John  the  Baptist  have 
wings  T  and  'Why  was  he  thus  painted  in  our  churches  T 
I  told  them  that  if  he  was  a  bird  he  must  have  had 
wings  ;  but  if  a  man,  not.  Another  asked  if  he  had  not 
two  heads ;  if  one  did  not  grow  out  immediately  when 
the  other  was  cut  off.  For  this  I  referred  them  to  the 
Scriptures,  which  say,  his  disciples  took  up  his  body  and 
buried  it.  Another  asked  about  angels'  wings,  etc.  To 
all  these  questions  I  gave  such  answers  as  I  thought  true 
and  proper." 

The  following  lets  one  in  behind  the  scenes  as  to  the 
motives  that  led  even  some  enlightened  men  to  oppose 
Dr.  King's  mission : 

"July  12.  1835.  Mr.  K.  called  and  wished  to  speak 
with  me  alone.     Taken  with  me  into  my  study,  he  said : 


248  JONAS  KING. 

'  Whatever  may  be  your  object  in  Greece,  I  rejoice  that 
you  are  here  and  wish  you  success  in  your  work,  for  my 
views  are  like  yours ;  and  being  such,  I  thought  it  my 
duty  to  come  and  tell  you  what  I  have  heard  from  cer- 
tain learned  men  who  were  speaking  in  regard  to  you 
and  your  labors  here.  They  said  that  you  have  in  your 
employ  and  pay  at  Syra  four  hundred  and  fifty  Sciots  to 
disseminate  your  doctrines,  and  that  the  son  of  a  shoe- 
maker (who,  I  think  he  said  had  been  in  my  gymnasium) 
spoke  about  the  Virgin  Mary,  etc.,  according  to  your 
doctrine,  and  that  the  people  were  in  danger  of  getting 
into  a  civil  war  on  the  subject  of  religion,  which  of  all 
wars  was  most  to  be  dreaded,  and  therefore  it  was  expe- 
dient to  prevent  you  from  proceeding ;  that  though  your 
doctrines  might  be  true,  still  the  people  were  not  prepared 
for  such  a  change  as  those  doctrines  would  bring  in.  I 
consider  your  mission,'  added  he,  'as  a  new  mission  for 
preaching  the  gospel,  similar  to  that  of  the  primitive  age 
of  Christianity,  and  you  must  expect  to  suffer  what 
the  first  preachers  were  called  to  suffer;  but  be  of 
good  courage,  for  God  will  not  leave  you  to  suffer  any- 
thing.' 

"  Some  priest  also  told  jVTeletius,  a  student  whom  I 
had  employed  to  sell  the  New  Testament  in  the  market- 
place, that  it  was  wicked  for  common  people  to  touch 
that  book !  Meletius  and  another  boy  sold,  however,  in 
three  days,  between  90  and  100  copies. 

"  Sept.  28,  1836.  The  Greeks  appear  to  depend  more 
upon  external  forms  than  upon  the  religion  of  the  heart ; 
they  believe  all  the  truth  and  something  more,  and  the 


MISSIONARY  WORK  IN  THE  EAST.        249 

additions  that  have  been  made  by  man  to  their  religion 
seem  to  be  of  more  consequence  in  their  eyes,  than  what 
God  himself  has  taught. 

"  Sunday,  March  7,  1839.  Preached  from  John  i  •.2C). 
I  was  led  to  take  this  text  from  seeing  the  lambs  that 
were  brought  to  be  slain  at  the  Passover,  as  it  is  still  a 
custom  among  the  Greeks  for  every  family,  however 
poor,  to  kill  a  lamb  on  this  occasion. 

"  Sunday,  April  21,  1844.  Two  deacons  called  in  the 
morning.  Conversed  plainly,  seriously,  and  pointedly ; 
endeavored  to  convince  them  of  the  error  of  worship- 
ping images  and  praying  to  saints.  They  seemed  con- 
vinced ;  I  found  them  exceedingly  ignorant  of  God's 
word.  I  verily  believe  that  an  ordinary  child  in  New 
England,  eight  or  ten  years  old,  knows  far  more  of  the- 
ology and  of  the  Bible  than  they. 

"May  16,  1844.  Narcissus,  a  priest,  called.  Spent 
two  or  three  hours  in  conversation  on  religion.  He  has 
gained  much,  recognizing  as  the  only  rule  of  faith  the 
word  of  God,  rejecting  from  the  fathers  everything  which 
does  not  agree  with  that ;  also  rejecting,  as  contrary  to 
the  word  of  God  the  monkish  system ;  also  the  abstain- 
ing from  different  kinds  of  food,  which  is  called  fasting; 
while  at  the  same  time  he  approves,  as  I  do,  of  what  is 
true  fasting:  and  on  the  subject  of  images  he  is  not  far 
from  the  truth,  and  also  in  regard  to  despotism  in  the 
church.  This  he  says  will  most  surely  cease.  Gave 
him  a  New  Testament  in  ancient  Greek,  and  a  copy  of 
my  '  Farewell  letter.'  He  is  to  me  the  most  interesting 
man  among  the  clergy  in  all  Greece,  on  account  of  his 


250  yONAS  KING. 

-efforts  to  preach  the  gospel  here.  He  is  the  only  man  I 
know  of  who  preaches  the  gospel. 

"May  18,  1844.  Called  on  Madame  Covoqui.  Con- 
versed about  prayer  to  saints  and  the  virgin.  After 
showing  her  several  passages  of  Scripture,  she  said  she 
was  convinced  of  the  truth  of  what  I  said,  and  that  she 
should  no  more  offer  her  prayers  to  the  virgin,  but  to 
God  alone. 

"Thursday,  July  31,  1845.  Mr.  Pheovater  said  that 
an  old  nun  at  the  monastery,  102  or  104  years  old,  on 
seeing  the  Old  Testament  which  he  gave  to  the  church, 
seemed  delighted  with  it,  and  begged  him  to  ask  the  man 
who  gave  it  to  him  to  let  her  have  one ;  and  remarked 
that  she  had  never  till  then  heard  that  such  a  book  ex- 
isted as  the  Old  Testament !" 

March,  1847,  Dr.  King  describes  a  miraculous  medal 
ordered  by  the  Virgin  Mary  to  be  made,  after  three  ap- 
pearances, and  by  which  one  might  enjoy  the  particular 
protection  of  the  "mother  of  God."  The  prayer  to  be  read 
from  the  medal  was  in  the  usual  wording  of  the  Roman- 
catholic  prayer-book. 

In  February,  1848,  Dr.  King  makes  note  at  Malta  of 
a  Roman-catholic  procession  in  honor,  or  rather  dis\\ox\- 
or,  of  St.  Paul,  whose  image  was  paraded  about  the 
street,  borne  on  the  shoulders  of  eight  or  ten  men,  who 
evidently  found  the  wooden  god  a  heavy  load.  They 
were  preceded  by  perhaps  five  hundred  priests  and 
monks  of  the  clerical  order. 

In  a  letter  written  from  Athens  in  January,  1849, 
Dr.  King  writes,  that  "  Protestants  are  considered  by  the 


MISSIONARY  WORK  IN  THE  EAST.        251 

Greek  church  as  heretics,  it  is  sufficient  to  say,  that  all 
who  do  not  call  Mary  the  'mother  of  God/  and  who 
condemn  the  use  of  images  (pictures),  and  the  worship 
of  the  cross  and  relics  (bones  of  the  saints),  are  con- 
demned as  heretics  by  the  several  councils,  which  the 
Greek  church  universally  considers  as  inspired  and  of 
undoubted  authority.  I  may  add,  that  acording  to  some 
of  those  councils,  baptism,  as  performed  by  Protestants 
of  any  denomination  whatever,  is  condemned  as  hereti- 
cal." 

"February,  1849.  Having  some  business  at  the  No- 
tary's, and  having  occasion  to  state  where  I  was  born,  as 
I  wrote, '  Hawley,  America,'  he  said, '  Write,  Happy  Amer- 
ica.' This  led  to  some  conversation  on  the  subject  of 
religion,  and  he  avowed  that  the  cause  of  the  wretched- 
ness here,  of  the  bad  state  of  society,  is  the  priesthood ! 
Mr.  P.  was  formerly  governor  in  Mani. 

"November  8,  1849.  I  conversed  with  two  Italians 
on  the  subject  of  Transubstantiation,  and  the  worship  of 
the  Virgin  Mary.  One  of  them  said  that  he  was  con- 
vinced that  the  Roman-catholic  religion  is  erroneous ; 
but  that  before  he  came  here,  had  an  angel  from  heaven 
told  him  so,  he  would  not  have  believed  it.  That  since 
he  had  seen  the  Bible  and  heard  my  conversation,  and 
read  some  copies  of  the  "  Catholico  Romano "  which  I 
gave  him,  he  is  convinced.  But  still  I  think  he  clings  in 
some  degree  to  the  v/orship  of  Mary.  She  is  the  actual 
god  of  the  people  in  these  regions." 

On  one  occasion,  when  in  Naples,  Dr.  King  was 
shown 


2  52  JONAS  KING. 

1.  A  bone  of  the  arm  of  St.  Paul. 

2.  A  tooth  of  St.  James. 

3.  A  lock  of  the  Virgin  Mary's  hair. 

4.  Two  hairs  of  the  Virgin  Mary. 

5.  A  bit  of  Mary's  robe. 

6.  A  piece  of  Christ's  garment. 

7.  Some  of  Mary's  milk  on  a  bit  of  cotton. 

8.  A  copy  of  an  original  letter  of  the  Virgin  Mary 
in  Syriac,  from  which  the  Latin  was  made. 

"  But  after  the  priest  assured  me  that  this  was  a  true 
copy  of  the  original  in  Syriac,  I  said  to  him,  '  I  have 
studied  Syriac,  and  this  is  not  Syriac,  but  Chinese;  at 
least  so  it  appears  to  me.'  It  seemed  to  me  to  be  noth- 
ing but  a  bit  of  wormeaten  Chinese  paper,  with  Chinese 
characters  here  and  there,  which  very  probably  is  a  bit 
of  a  Chinese  passjDort,  or  a  bit  of  paper  taken  from  a 
chest  of  tea." 

"March  17,  1851.  Had  a  long  talk  with  the  abbot 
of  the  convent  at  Ipsara  on  the  subject  of  religion  and 
the  errors  of  his  church.  Among  other  things  he  said 
that  whosoever  went  to  the  Old  Testament  was  an  adul- 
terer. On  asking  me  what  were  the  commands  of  Christ, 
I  began  to  repeat  the  Ten  Commandments  ;  but  he  said 
these  were  in  the  Old  Testament,  and  would  not  listen 
to  them.  He  finally  asked  me  if  I  did  not  believe  the 
miracle  of  St.  Spiridion,  when  he  took  the  tile  and  squeezed 
out  blood.  I  said,  '  No,  it  is  a  fable.'  At  this  he  became 
quite  angry,  and  threatened  to  tear  my  eyes  out. 

"June  16,  185 1.  Mrs.  K.  S.  brought  me  two  imigcr. 
or  pictures  which  have  long  been  objects  of  devo'aon  ia 


MISSIOA^ARY  WORK  IN  THE  EAST.        253 

her  family.  The  smallest  one  is  St.  Athanasius,  which, 
she  thinks,  was  used  by  her  grandmother.  This  is  on 
wood.  The  other,  which  is  on  brass  or  copper  (and  is 
the  largest),  represents  the  flagellation  of  our  Saviour  by 
the  Jews.  This,  she  says,  is  three  hundred  years  old. 
Both  came  down  to  her  as  a  parental  inheritance ;  but 
she  no  longer  values  them,  and  will  not  permit  them  in 
her  room,  and  has  given  them  to  me  to  dispose  of  as  I 
choose. 

"April  6,  1853.  Mr.  A.  told  me  that  the  indulgence 
which  the  pope  gave  him  was  plcnaiy  for  him  and  his 
parents  and  family  to  the  third  generation,  and  that  the 
pope  signed  it  with  his  own  hand. 

"August  26,  1853.  I  have  to-day  received  from  a 
Greek  female  what  I  never  before  received  from  any 
one — holy  relics,  saints'  bones.  One  is  said  to  be  of 
St.  Antipas,  the  same,  I  suppose,  who  is  mentioned  in 
Rev.  2:13;  another  of  St.  Mercurius.  They  are  set  in 
silver,  and  have  been  handed  down  from  one  generation 
to  another  for  I  know  not  how  long.  The  female  who 
sent  them  to  me  received  them  from  her  mother,  and  she 
from  her  mother,  and  they  were  considered  very  precious. 
When  any  of  the  children  were  ill  these  bones  were  put 
in  water,  which  was  given  to  the  patient  for  his  recovery. 
After  taking  them  into  my  hands  I  felt  almost  as  if  I 
were  defiled,  and  I  went  and  washed  them  in  water,  and 
then  again  with  soap  and  water !  How  strange  that  men 
should  be  so  deluded  as  to  have  hope  in  dead  men's  bones, 
and  worship  them !  It  is  a  device  of  the  devil  to  keep 
men  from  God. 


254  yONAS  KING. 

"January  3,  1854.  Was  called  to  see  a  dying  woman. 
She  was  most  anxious  to  live  another  year,  promising  to 
follow  my  directions,  and  even  to  kneel  in  prayer.  To 
kneel  in  prayer,  except  once  in  the  year,  is  considered 
by  the  Greeks  as  amounting  almost  to  a  renunciation  of 
their  religion." 

March  10,  1857.  Of  some  pictures  Dr.  King  says, 
"  One  was  the  picture  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  which  has  long 
been  the  object  of  worship,  and  which  was  supposed  on 
some  perilous  occasion  to  have  saved  life  in  shipwreck ; 
and  sometimes  it  was  supposed  to  creak — when  dis- 
pleased !  The  board  on  which  it  is  painted  is  so  thick 
and  large  that  it  might  well  keep  a  man  from  drowning, 
and  in  hot  weather  it  might  creak." 

The  question  of  images  was  an  important  one.  A 
priest  of  much  intelligence  calling.  Dr.  King  says,  "  I 
conversed  much  about  the  errors  of  the  Greek  church, 
particularly  in  the  use  of  images  or  pictures.  He  said 
the  fathers  were  from  the  Eastern  church,  and  had  taught 
all  this.  I  told  him  that  the  first  fathers  in  the  church 
were  Jews,  and  that  they  taught  the  Greeks.  He  said 
the  Eastern  church  had  prese-rved  the  doctrines  entire. 
I  told  him  that  this  assertion,  so  often  in  the  mouths  of 
the  Greeks,  showed  their  ignorance  of  ecclesiastical  his- 
tory. He  said  that  images  were  received  by  the  fathers, 
and  that  St.  Luke  made  them,  etc.  I  told  him  that  was 
not  true,  and  that  images  began  to  be  introduced  about 
the  fourth  century,  not  earlier,  and  that  it  was  against  the 
command  of  God,  the  second  command.  He  said  he  be- 
lieved the  traditions  of  the  fathers.     '  So  did  the  Phari- 


MISSIONARY  WORK  IN  THE  EAST.        255 

sees,'  said  I,  '  and  our  Saviour  condemned  them  for  it. 
The  Greeks  do  the  same,  and  do  wrong.'  He  said  that 
the  Catechism  taught  the  proper  use  of  images,  and  that 
the  common  people  did  not  use  them  aright.  I  said, '  The 
proper  use  of  them  is  to  let  them  be  hung  up,  without  ' 
having  any  reverence  whatever  paid  to  them,  just  as  I 
have  the  plan  of  Athens,'  pointing  to  it  in  my  room.  He 
said  if  they  were  in  error  he  did  not  care,  he  would  re- 
main where  they  were,  or  something  to  that  effect.  I 
said,  '  I  wish  for  the  truth,'  etc.  I  spoke  as  plainly  as 
possible,  but  I  know  not  that  any  good  will  result." 

Strange  ceremonies  were  observed  on  occasion  of 
the  burial  of  a  bishop,  the  President  of  the  Synod.  "  He 
was  not  placed  in  a  coffin,  as  other  people  are,  but  seated 
on  a  throne,  with  all  his  priestly  robes  as  bishop,  with  his 
crozier  in  his  right  hand,  the  gospels  in  his  left,  with  his 
mitre  on  his  head.  Multitudes  went  to  the  house  to  kiss 
his  hand  ;  and  thus  he  was  carried  to  the  church  on  his 
throne,  and  placed  in  the  centre,  with  his  face  towards 
the  altar  during  the  prayers  and  funeral  service.  When 
Barnabas  delivered  the  oration,  the  corpse  was  turned 
with  the  face  towards  the  pulpit,  in  an  opposite  direction 
from  the  altar.  After  the  service  and  oration,  all  crowd- 
ed to  take  their  last  look,  and  he  was  borne  through  the 
streets  on  his  throne,  by  the  palace  and  to  the  grave, 
where  he  was  buried  in  the  same  position." 

Extract  from  a  letter  to  the  Society  of  Inquiry,  Prince-  ^ 
ton,  October  29,  1850:  "The  longer  I  remain  among  the 
Greeks,  the  more  I  perceive  that  in  all  things  they  are 
'  too  superstitious,'  and  that  the  true  God  is  little  known 


256  yONAS  KING. 

among  them.  And  though  they  may  not  'think  the 
Godhead  is  like  unto  gold,  or  silver,  or  stone  graven  by 
art  or  man's  device,'  yet  he  is  represented  in  this  church 
as  an  old  man  with  a  long  beard,  with  the  inscription  in 
Greek,  '  I  AM,'  and  on  the  throne  of  this  great  I  AM 
they  seem  to  have  placed  a  woman,  whom  they  call  his 
mother, '  Mary,  the  All-Holy,  the  Mother  of  God.'  The 
faith  which  Paul  once  preached  in  this  city  has  become 
so  sadly  shipwrecked  (i  Tim.  1:19),  that  one  can  hardly 
find  a  board  or  bit  of  the  ship  big  enough  to  keep  a  man 
from  sinking.  The  very  essence  of  Christianity,  the  doc- 
trine of  salvation  by  faith  alone,  has  been  perverted  into 
a  doctrine  of  salvation  by  works,  fastings,  penances,  alms- 
giving, etc ,  so  that  if  a  man  has  not  money  to  leave  to 
buy  prayers  for  him  after  he  is  dead,  he  is  afraid  that  his 
soul  will  go  to  the  place  of  torment.  I  speak  now  of  the 
mass  of  the  common  people,  and  not  of  the  learned  in  this 
city,  many  of  whom,  I  have  reason  to  believe,  have  re- 
jected not  only  their  superstitions,  but  the  truth  also  as 
it  is  in  Christ,  and  like  the  Sadducees  of  old,  believe 
nothing,  though  they  profess  to  be  orthodox  members  of 
the  Eastern  church.  So  that  on  the  one  hand  I  have  to 
combat  the  deep-rooted  superstitions  and  errors  of  the 
ignorant,  and  on  the  other  the  infidelity  of  men  called 
enlightened." 

On  one  occasion  Dr.  King  writes  :  "  Last  Sunday  I 
went  with  my  wife  and  her  mother  to  the  church  of  the 
Evangelistria  to  see  a  poor  deranged  woman  brought 
here  from  Smyrna  to  be  healed.  She  has  a  husband  and 
one  child,  both,  I  believe,  at  Smyrna.      Her  hands  were 


MISSIONARY  WORK  IN  THE  EAST.        257 

tied  very  tight  behind  her  back,  and  a  young  man,  her 
relative,  stood  by,  often  beating  her  and  tying  the  cords 
which  she  endeavored  to  loosen.  She  stood  looking  out 
at  a  window  and  constantly  crying,  '  O  thou  Holy  Trin- 
ity, save  me  and  help  me !'  Her  relatives  said  she  was 
possessed  of  the  devil,  and  was  crying  to  him  to  help  her, 
and  when  she  said,  '  O  Holy  Trinity,'  she  meant  the  three 
sisters,  the  Nereides.  Many  of  the  Greeks  suppose  that 
the  Nereides  come  to  people  in  the  night-time,  and  take 
them  and  walk  and  dance  with  them,  and  that,  in  conse- 
quence of  this,  they  become  deranged." 

Again.  '•  Heard  that  the  body  of  a  saint  had  been 
found,  and  that  the  people  were  running  to  pay  their 
adoration.  Supposing  it  to  be  some  trick  of  the  wonder- 
working church  here,  I  had  the  curiosity  to  go  also,  and 
found  that  a  priest  from  Athens  had,  when  he  fled  from 
that  place,  brought  with  him  the  body  of  a  female  who 
died  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago,  as  he  said, 
and  he  was  now  exhibiting  it  to  the  people,  who  came 
and  kissed  the  relics  with  great  veneration." 

Of  the  Greek  church  Dr.  King  says,  "  Multitudes  of 
the  people  have  a  thousand  times  more  fear  of  eating  meat 
on  Wednesdays  and  Fridays  than  they  have  of  uttering 
a  falsehood  ;  and  the  Virgin  Mary  and  the  saints  really 
seem  to  be  more  reverenced  and  more  fervently  adored 
than  the  God  of  heaven  ;  and  the  traditions  of  men  are 
more  honored  than  the  commandments  of  God.  Still  this 
church  is  far  from  being  plunged  in  the  superstition  and 
ignorance  and  wickedness  of  the  Papal  church.  The 
Greek  church  receives  the  gospel,  and  a  spirit  of  refor- 

22* 


258  yONAS  KING. 

mation  has  begun  to  operate.  The  monkish  system  is 
going  by,  and  the  priests  have  lost  much  of  the  influence 
which  they  possessed  ten  years  ago.  Many  begin  to  see 
and  believe  that  true  religion  does  not  consist  in  abstain- 
ing from  meat  and  eggs  two  days  in  the  week.  In  short, 
the  Greeks  as  a  body  are  inclined  to  think  for  themselves, 
and  to  express  their  opinion,  though  it  should  be  con- 
trary to  that  of  their  priests.  They  cling  to  their  images 
and  relics  and  crosses  and  prayers  to  the  saints  with  great 
tenacity,  nor  can  I  expect  that  it  will  be  otherwise  with 
them  till  the  gospel  is  more  extensively  distributed  and 
read,  and  till  some  of  their  own  preachers  shall  receive 
the  influences  of  the  Spirit  from  on  high,  and  call  their 
attention  to  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus. 

"The  sister  of  Mr.  C.  called  September  3,  1848,  and 
asked  for  a  leaf  from  each  tree  in  my  garden.  I  asked 
why,  and  found  that  she  wished  them  for  a  woman  whose 
child  was  ill,  and  she  thought,  with  some  magical  words 
said  over  the  leaves,  the  child  might  recover." 


LIFE-  WORK  AT  ATHENS,  259 


CHAPTER   XVII, 

LIFE-WORK  AT  ATHENS. 

I.  Schools  and  Religious  Services — Bible  in  Schools — Notice  of 
Students  in  Gymnasiums  and  Seminaries — Testimony  from 
Napoli  Newspaper.  2.  Direct  Mission-Work — Reasoning  out 
of  the  Scriptures— Publishing  of  Bible  with  Notes  from  the 
Fathers  Proposed — Letters  to  several  Societies  of  Inquiry — 
Qualifications  needed  for  a  Missionary— Delight  in  Christian 
Union  —  Letter  to  Dr.  Goodell  —  "  Greece  as  a  Missionary 
Field."  3.  Bible  and  Tract  Distribution.  4.  Efforts  in  the 
Temperance  Cause.     5.  Visits  to  Prisons. 

Dr.  King  being  now  fairly  identified  with  Greece  by 
his  marriage,  by  the  ownership  of  property,  and  by  other 
providences,  it  would  not  interest  the  public  to  follow  his 
history  at  Athens  in  detail  from  year  to  year.  It  is  bet- 
ter to  treat  it  topically,  even  could  space  allow  a  different 
method. 

SCHOOLS  AND  SUNDAY  SERVICES. 

In  1836  Dr.  King  began  to  build  a  schoolhouse  at 
Athens,  which,  by  the  aid  of  private  friends,  he  was  ena- 
bled to  finish  in  1839.  In  this  work  he  received  no  aid 
whatever  from  the  American  Board.  He  had  planned 
this  building  long  before  he  came  into  connection  with 
that  Society  as  missionary  to  Greece,  and  before  that  time 
had  also  secured  the  greater  part  of  the  means  necessary. 
In  order  to  finish  it,  he  was  obliged  to  rent  it  for  one  or 
two  years,  after  which  lime  he  had  regular  services  there 


26o  yONAS  KING. 

in  Greek  every  Lord's  day  till  the  year  i860,  when  he 
was  prevented  by  illness  from  continuing  them.  When 
we  remember  the  attention  which  Dr.  King  in  his  early 
manhood  gave  to  sacred  music,  we  need  not  wonder  at 
the  enthusiasm  with  which  he  writes  on  occasion  of  a 
small  choir  "first  singing  in  Greek"  as  "truly  delight- 
's/ ful,"  He  wrote  several  Greek  hymns  himself,  besides 
making  translations  of  many  from  the  English. 

But  beyond  even  the  above  pleasure,  he  notes  more 
than  once  how  greatly  he  was  comforted  and  strength- 
ened by  his  little  Greek  prayer-meeting,  even  though  the 
attendance  upon  it  was  small.  The  help  thus  given  was 
especially  realized  during  times  of  persecution. 

The  establishment  of  schools  seemed  ever  a  promi- 
nent object  with  Dr.  Kin^.  Mention  has  been  made  of 
f-  those  at  Tenos,  Menido,  and  Eleusis  ;  and  now  at  Athens 
he  sought  still  to  give  his  work  permanent  form  in  this 
direction.  The  "  Evangelical  Gymnasium,"  which  ranked 
well  with  others  of  the  kind,  he  hoped  would  be  the  germ 
of  a  future  college  or  university,  to  be  built  up  by  Phil- 
hellenists  in  America,  ten  or  twelve  of  whom  had  given 
him  some  encouragement  in  regard  to  such  an  enterprise 
before  he  left  New  York ;  among  these  was  General  Van 
Rensselaer  of  Albany  ;  and  for  several  years  his  friend 
S.  V.  S.  Wilder  pleasantly  gave  Dr.  King  in  advance  the 
title  of  Professor  in  Mars'  Hill  College.  But  the  germ, 
though  never  developing  in  this  way,  has  borne  rich  fruit, 
well  repaying  our  missionary  for  the  religious  instruction 
given  by  him  in  this  Gymnasium  "  six  or  eight  times  a 
week  to  sixty  or  seventy  pupils,  varying  in  age  from  ten 


LIFE-  WORK  AT  A 7'HENS.  261 

to  thirty-five  years."  One  of  these,  a  priest,  afterwards 
became  Professor  of  Theology  in  the  University  of  Ath- 
ens, another  is  a  Professor  of  Law,  and  a  third  became 
the  head  of  a  gymnasium.  Others  are  teaching  in 
schools  in  various  parts  of  the  kingdom  and  in  Turkey. 
Some  are  military  ofBcers,  or  otherwise  in  the  employ  of 
the  government.  At  one  time  a  college  was  proposed 
in  Smyrna  also. 

In  1835  a  regular  theological  class  was  commenced, 
composed  of  Greeks  and  Italians.  Some  of  these  young 
men  were  sent  from  Constantinople.  Dr.  King  gave 
instruction  in  this  class  seven  or  eight  times  a  week,  and 
for  want  of  suitable  books  at  hand,  was  obliged  to  pre- 
pare for  it  his  own  course  of  theological  study.  Nor 
were  these  labors  vain.  The  work  of  some  of  the  students 
is  telling  now  in  Greece.  The  name  of  M.  D.  Kalopo- 
thakes  cannot  be  passed  by.  It  appears  in  Dr.  King's 
Journal  as  early  as  December  2,  1846,  when  the  young 
man  called  to  show  an  ancient  writing  obtained  from  a 
friend  who  had  been  to  Jerusalem  on  a  pilgrimage ;  and 
his  name  after  this  finds  frequent  mention,  in  a  way 
showing  how  the  light  of  the  gospel,  finding  entrance, 
shone  clearer  still  as  time  passed  on,  fitting  the  young 
man  to  take  up  the  work  laid  down  by  his  loved  and  ven- 
erated father  in  Christ.  A  Spartan  by  birth,  in  his  un- 
compromising determination  he  shows  many  traits  of 
that  remarkable  race.  Dr.  Kalopothakes  is  now  laboring 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Southern  Presbyterian  Board, 
lie  is  editor  of  the  "Star  in  the  East"  and  a  "Child's 
Paper,"  and  is  pastor  of  the  Greek  Protestant  church 


262  yONAS  KING. 

lately  established  at  Athens,  which  he  represented  at  the 
Evangelical  Alliance  of  1873.  His  missionary  policy  is 
to  favor  a  growth  from  within,  in  opposition  to  having 
an  American  mission  chapel  planted  from  without.  He 
^and  his  lovely  American  wife  were  privileged  to  be  with 
their  beloved  friend  Dr.  King  during  his  last  days  on 
earth,  ministering  to  his  comfort  quite  down  to  the  river. 
/  M.  Constantine,  another  of  Dr.  King's  pupils,  has  been, 
able  to  interest  many  in  the  cause  of  Greece  and  true 
religion,  and  by  his  eloquence  promises  to  do  a  great 
work  for  his  countr3^men.  Sakelarios  has  gone  into  the 
Baptist  church,  and  may  be  able  to  serve  the  Master  well 
in  that  connection. 

Young  men  for  some  years  were  sent  from  Greece  to 
America  for  education.  A  few  of  these  have  remained 
in  this  country ;  and  thus  has  there  been  an  interchange 
and  commingling  of  interests  and  civilization  not  other- 
wise secured.  Drs.  Riggs  and  King,  in  March,  1834, 
wrote  a  long  letter  to  Rev.  Dr.  John  Codman  of  Dorches- 
ter, Mass.,  recommending  two  members  of  the  Gymna- 
sium at  Athens  to  his  special  care,  and  four  more  were 
consigned  subsequently  to  Mrs.  Cornelius. 

About  the  same  time  Dr.  King  wrote  to  Miss  E.  Stu- 
art, Secretary  of  a  Ladies'  Society  at  Andover,  Mass.,  in 
regard  to  the  school  supported  by  them  at  Eleusis,  near 
the  ancient  temple  of  Ceres.  He  said,  "  May  you,  by 
your  exertions,  be  the  means  of  revealing  to  them  in  a 
spiritual  sense  '  the  mystery  which  was  kept  secret  since 
the  world  began,  but  now  is  made  manifest.'  Romans 
17 :  25,  26.      The  study  of  the  Scriptures  I  make  one  of 


LIFE-  WORK  AT  A THENS.  263 

the  conditions  of  their  receiving  your  aid.  .  .  .  Little 
articles  of  presents  to  the  girls  would  be  likely  to  have  a 
good  effect,  inducing  their  parents  to  send  them." 

While  in  this  Christian  land  of  America  many  are 
found  willing  to  exclude  the  Bible  from  our  public  schools, 
it  is  truly  refreshing  to  read  the  following  entry,  made 
February  10,  1855  :  "To-day  I  received  a  communication 
from  the  Minister  of  Education  and  Religion,  Mr.  George 
Psyllas,  in  answer  to  my  communication  to  him  last  Sep- 
tember, concerning  Chrysostom  on  *  Reading  the  Scrip- 
tures,' thanking  me  for  my  donation  of  a  thousand  cop- 
ies, and  enclosing  a  circular  from  him  to  all  the  teachers 
in  Greece,  calling  upon  them  to  recommend  to  the  schol- 
£frs  the  reading  of  it,  and  also  the  reading  of  the  Scrip- 
tures themselves  in  their  houses.  This  is  admirable. 
This  is  just  what  I  desired.  Blessed  be  God,  who  is 
wonderful  in  working."     The  circular  reads  as  follows  : 

"To  the  Schoolmasters  and  Schoolmistresses  of  the 
District  Schools  : 

"  That  nothing  tends  so  much  to  the  regulation  of 
morals,  to  the  knowledge  of  the  duties  of  man  both  to 
God  and  his  neighbor,  as  the  reading  of  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures, St.  Chrysostom  has  shown  in  many  parts  of  his 
numerous  sacred  writings. 

"These  passages  of  the  divine  father,  collected  with 
care,  and  simplified  by  a  translation,  are  distributed  gratis 
for  the  use  of  those  who  read. 

"  The  reading  of  this  collection,  of  which  a  sufificient 
number  of  copies  has  been  already  sent  to  the  Nomarchs, 
that  they  may  be  distributed  in  the  district  schools  in  pro- 


264  yONAS  KING. 

portion  to  the  number  of  scholars,  we  recommend  to  you, 
both  for  the  perspicuity  of  the  style  and  the  wholesome- 
ness  of  the  sense,  not  doubting  that  you  will,  by  apply- 
ing practice  to  theory,  render  operative  the  injunction  of 
this  divine  father,  by  inspiring  the  youth  who  attend  your 
schools  with  a  ready  mind  to  read  the  Sacred  Scriptures, 
so  that  they  may  resume  at  home,  in  the  hearing  of  those 
about  them,  the  sacred  lessons  they  are  taught,  and  the 
advantage  they  derive  from  them  be  thus  multiplied,  and 
the  Scripture  fulfilled,  which  saith,  'The  entrance  of 
Thy  word  giveth  light ;  it  giveth  understanding  to  the 

simple.' 

"The  Minister,  G.  PSYLLAS. 
"Athens,  19th  January,  1855." 

In  October  1853,  the  Napoli  paper  gave  the  curicu- 
lum  of  study  in  the  Evangelical  gymnasium,  appending 
the  following  note  :  "  The  superintendents,  Drs.  King  and 
Riggs  being  persuaded,  that,  in  order  for  any  one  to  ac- 
quire a  truly  useful  education,  the  cultivation  of  the 
mind  alone  is  not  sufficient,  but  that  the  cultivation  of 
the  heart  is  also  necessary,  so  as  to  excite  in  him  a  de- 
sire for  things  truly  good,  and  induce  him  to  shape  his 
conduct  according  to  unchangeable  principles  ;  being  per- 
suaded also  that  there  exists  no  other  book,  the  study  of 
which  has  so  much  influence  in  attracting  the  heart  to 
that  which  is  right  and  good  as  the  Word  of  God  ;  on 
this  account,  while  they  recommend  in  this  institution 
the  study  of  Homer,  Plato,  Demosthenes,  Plutarch,  and 
other  celebrated  writers  of  Greece,  they  wished  also  to 
bring  the  attention  of  the  young  to  the  study  of  Moses, 


LIFE-  WORK  AT  A THENS.  2 65 

Job,  Daniel,  Solomon,  the  Prophets,  the  Apostles  of 
Christ,  and  of  Him  who  spake  as  never  man  spake.  We 
revere  the  classics  because  they  were  written  by  men  of 
splendid  minds  and  contain  many  things  useful,  as  it 
respects  morals  and  politics  ;  but  we  revere  much  more 
those  books  which  proceeded  from  the  Fountain  of  wis- 
dom, from  Him  who  created  all  that  was  ever  brilliant 
and  glorious  in  the  world. 

"  By  means  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  we  hope  that  the 
youth  will  acquire  principles  for  their  conduct  and  an 
accurate  knowledge  of  the  true  religion  which  they  pro- 
fess, and  that  they  will  one  day  show  themselves  to  be 
not  only  enlightened  men,  but  also  virtuous '  and  good 
citizens  and  true  Christians,  loving  not  only  their  coun- 
try, but  also  the  whole  human  race  ;  and  while  they  en- 
joy earthly  happiness,  be  prepared  for  everlasting  bless- 
edness in  heaven." 

The  teachers  in  these  schools  often  spoke  of  what 
the  Americans  had  done  for  Greece  in  giving  them  food, 
knowledge,  and  instruction.  Many  strangers  took  inter- 
est in  visiting  the  schools.  When  in  1834  Rev.  Charles 
Stewart,  then  chaplain  of  a  United  States  frigate,  stopped 
at  Athens,  Dr.  King  availed  himself  of  this  opportunity 
to  commission  one  so  much  interested  in  evangelistic 
work  to  procure  more  funds  for  the  gymnasium,  also 
philosophical  apparatus  and  a  press.  This  gymnasium 
was  finally  closed  in  July,  1837.  In  the  more  primary 
schools,  the  question  of  using  the  Greek  catechism  was 
one  of  some  difficulty,  though  in  Dr.  King's  opinion, 
duty  seemed  plain,  not  to  use  it  at  all.     At  Mani,  at  one 


266  yONAS  KING. 

time,  the  minister  of  religion  and  instruction  compelled 
the  missionaries  to  teach  the  catechism  or  dismiss  their 
schools  ;  but  this  was  an  arbitrary  act,  not  according 
lo  their  own  laws.  Objections  were  made  to  the  use  of 
the  Old  Testament  also.  One  bishop  said,  "'You  will 
make  the  children  Hebrews,"  but  he  would  give  no  di- 
rect answer  to  the  question,  "  Does  your  catechism  con- 
tain things  contrary  to  the  word  of  God .''" 

MISSION   WORK. 

Dr.  King's  plans  of  work,  as  has  been  seen,  were  of 
the  most  simple  and  direct  character.  He  seemed  to 
take  advantage  of  every  opportunity  to  speak  a  word  for 
the  Master,  whose  commissioner  he  was.  Some  of  the 
more  intelligent  Greeks  sometimes  came  to  him,  Nicode- 
mus-like,  at  night.  By  his  familiarity  with  their  own 
religious  classics,  he  was  ready  to  meet  every  argument, 
gladly  recognizing  the  points  of  agreement,  and  proving 
his  own  position  from  the  Bible  and  those  fathers  whose 
authority  is  recognized  by  the  Greek  church.  Such  a 
course  of  argument  was  of  course  unanswerable,  and  his 
reasoning,  like  that  of  Paul,  was  made  in  many  cases, 
a  power  for  good. 
^  April  4,    1842.     "Called   on   CEconomos    and   gave 

him  Gallaudet's  '  Natural  Theology,'  and  '  Child's  Book 
on  the  Soul '  in  modern  Greek,  and  the  '  Greek  Reader.' 
Conversed,  I  should  think  an  hour  and  a  half,  on  the 
subject  of  translations,  creeds,  doing  good  in  Greece, 
etc.  Proposed  to  him  that  the  Scriptures  should  be 
printed  in  a  separate  volume,  and  the  notes  of  the  fathers 


LIFE-  WORK  AT  A THENS.  2 6 7 

in  another  to  accompany  it,  so  that  we  might  get  help 
from  abroad  to  print  the  Word  of  God,  and  from  sub- 
scriptions among  ourselves  for  the  notes  to  accompany 
it.  This  after  awhile  he  assented  to.  He  acknowledged 
that  the  Word  of  God  ought  to  be  placed  in  every  fami- 
ly, but  with  some  notes  from  the  fathers.  I  see  no  ob- 
jection to  this,  and  I  have  always  been  of  the  opinion 
that  the  Translation  of  the  Seventy  should  be  given  to 
the  Greeks." 

As  to  the  qualifications  needed  for  a  missionary.  Dr. 
King's  standard  was  rightly  a  high  one.  The  following 
extract  is  taken  from  a  letter  to  the  Society  of  Inquiry 
at  Williams  College  in  1838  : 

"  The  qualifications  of  a  missionary  to  Greece,  as 
well  as  to  any  other  part  of  the  world,  should  be  good 
common  sense,  such  a  degree  of  intelligence  at  least  as 
is  thought  necessary  for  a  clergyman  in  America,  a 
heart  deeply  humbled  before  God  under  a  sense  of  its 
own  sinfulness,  still  rejoicing  in  the  love  of  God  to  man 
through  Christ,  who  in  going  on  his  mission  seeks  no 
honor  except  that  which  comes  from  God  only."  In  a 
letter  of  similar  character  to  Amherst  college  he  wrote, 
"  It  does  not  seem  to  me  so  important  that  the  number 
of  missionaries  should  be  increased,  as  that  those  who 
go  should  be  of  the  right  spirit,  and  properly  qualified." 
"  Study  much  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  and  as  much  as 
possible  in  the  language  in.  which  they  are  written. 
This  is  of  the  highest  importance  " 

In  a  letter  to  the  Missionary  Society  at  Oakland, 
Mississippi,   Dr.   King  writes,  "The  questions  you  ask 


268  yONAS  KING. 

me  are  of  the  greatest  importance.  If  the  missionary 
have  a  truly  apostolical  spirit  he  will  surely  find,  as  the 
apostles  did,  his  comforts  increasing  in  proportion  as  he 
is  called  to  meet  with  trials.  Outward  afflictions  are  but 
very  light  when  the  heart  within  has  peace  with  God, 
through  Christ ;  and  when  he  has  a  lively  hope  of  being 
clothed  upon  with  his  spiritual  house  when  the  earthly 
shall  be  dissolved.  My  greatest  trials,  I  think  I  may  say, 
are  those  which  I  meet  with  from  my  own  heart.  Revi- 
lings  from  men,  having  my  name  cast  out  as  evil  on  ac- 
count of  Christ  and  his  Gospel,  generally  produce  in  my 
heart  much  joy.  At  the  same  time  I  must  confess  that 
these  afflictions  are  not  in  themselves  joyous  but  griev- 
ous." 

To  the  Society  at  Andover,  Oct.  26,  1850:  "I  fully 
agree  with  you  in  the  belief  that  efforts  to  do  good 
abroad  produce  happy  effects  at  home.  Light  cannot  be 
shed  on  far-distant  objects  without  illuminating  those 
that  are  near." 

As  to  the  establishment  of  missions  by  different  sects 
on  the  same  ground,  Dr.  King's  views  were  very  decided. 
He  felt  it  was  a  great  pity  that  they  did  not  choose  their 
stations  at  different  places.  "  I  cannot  feel  it  right  for 
missionaries  of  another  society  to  come  in  to  disturb 
those  who  have  been  endeavoring  to  labor  faithfully  for 
the  conversion  of  souls."  Yet,  while  regretting  any  fric- 
tion ever  arising  from  such  causes,  Christian  union  and 
cooperation  were  near  his  heart,  and  it  delighted  him  to 
make  note  of  the  fact  that  when  first  sent  out  to  Pales- 
tine by  the  French  Missionary  Society  of  Paris,  "  which," 


LIFE-WORK  AT  ATHENS.  269 

he  says,  "  was  formed  at  the  house  of  one  of  my  friends 
(a  dissenter  also),  one  of  the  first  who  arose  and  proffered 
aid  to  send  me,  was  Rev.  D.  Wilson,  now  bishop  of  Cal- 
cutta ;  and  some  of  my  principal  supporters  were  of  the 
Church  of  England."  No  one  could  enjoy  more  than  he 
reunions  of  Christians  of  various  names,  as  on  the  occa- 
sion of  a  missionary  meeting  of  the  United  Brethren  at 
Basle,  in  June,  1843,  at  which  Dr.  Barth,  Professor  Stein, 
Pastor  La  Roche,  and  Mr.  Pilet  took  part,  when  all  hearts 
seemed  melted  together  and  gave  outward  expression 
of  this  in  a  hymn  commencing,  "  Hallelujah,"  with  its 
chorus  of  "  Holy,  holy,  holy  is  God." 

To  his  loved  and  congenial  friend.  Dr.  Goodell  of 
Constantinople,  Dr.  King  in  1854  gives  a  succinct  idea 
of  the  Greek  field  after  twenty-five  years'  experience. 

Allow  first  a  few  words  of  friendly  preface.  "  You 
say  you  are  changing,  growing  gray,  that  your  voice 
shakes,  and  that  '  the  native  grinders  are  reduced  to 
four.'  All  this  may  be,  but  the  man  Goodell  never 
changes.  And  I  am  happy  to  see,  from  the  spirit  of 
your  letter,  that  your  friendship  for  me  has  not  grown 
old  or  gray,  or  been  shaken  or  reduced  because  you  did 
not  receive  my  answer  to  your  letter,  nor  any  acknowl- 
edgment of  the  receipt  of  your  interesting  book. 

"  You  ask  me  whether  I  am  growing  older  or  younger. 
As  a  man's  testimony  in  regard  to  himself,  especially 
when  in  his  favor,  is  liable  to  be  considered  doubtful,  I 
think  it  better  to  adduce  what  some  others  have  said 
with  regard  to  me.  When  I  returned  to  the  United 
States  after  an  absence  of  about  seven  years,  Mr.  Jere* 

2^*  '  -  " 


2  70  yONAS  KING. 

miah  Evarts,  Secretary,  said  he  thought  I  had  not 
changed  at  all  during  that  time. 

"  My  wife  has  often  remarked  that  I  never  change,  or 
but  very  little,  and  attributes  it  to  her  kindness.  She 
says  it  is  because  I  have  so  good  a  wife ;  and  really 
when  I  think  how  long  I  have  lived,  and  what  varied 
scenes  I  have  passed  through,  it  seems  to  me  strange 
that  I  should  be  so  little  changed  as  I  think  I  am.  Still 
I  have  many  gray  hairs,  and  those  '  that  look  out  at  the 
windows'  do  not  distinguish  objects  as  clearly  as  former- 
ly, especially  fine  print,  without  the  aid  of  glasses,  of 
which,  however,  I  do  not  generally  make  any  use.  My 
heart  feels  as  warm  towards  my  old  friends  as  ever, 

"  Now  as  to  the  report  of  the  state  of  evangelical  reli- 
gion in  Greece,  which  you  wish  me  to  give,  so  as  to  be 
incorporated  with  yours  of  Turkey,  for  the  *  great  meet- 
ing at  the  opening  of  the  Crystal  Palace  in  Paris  next 
spring,'  and  with  regard  to  which  you  say,  'the  shorter 
and  sweeter  I  can  make  it  the  better,'  here  it  is,  in  about 
as  few  words  as  I  can  make  it. 

"  GREECE  AS  A   MISSIONARY  FIELD. 

"Greece  covered  with  the  thorns  and  briers  and  this- 
tles of  superstition  for  ages,  is  a  difificult  field  to  cultivate  ; 
I  have  been  laboring  in  it  for  about  twenty-seven  years, 
ploughing  and  sowing  in  tears,  yet  with  hope,  and  still  feel 
sure  that  the  time  of  harvest  will  come  and  that  sheaves 
will  be  brought  in  with  rejoicing.  Prejudices  are  giving 
way;  a  great  victory  with  regard  to  religious  liberty  has 
bce+i   gained  within  the  last  few    years.       I   distribute 


LIFE-  WORK  AT  A THENS.  2 7 1 

thousands  and  hundreds  of  thousands  of  religious  tracts 
unhindered.  The  word  of  God,  the  Scriptures  of  the 
Old  and  New  Testament,  is  received  in  all  the  schools  of 
the  kingdom,  has  'free  course'  among  all  the  people, 
and  -will  be  'glorified.'  A  few  only  appear  to  have  re- 
ceived the  truth  in  the  love  of  it,  but  many  are  convinced 
of  the  folly  of  their  superstitions,  and  the  importance  of 
receiving  the  word  of  God  as  the  only  rule  of  faith  and 
practice.  The  restraint  already  put  upon  the  influence 
of  Gog  and  Magog  has  had  a  happy  effect,  and  should 
that  influence  be  wholly  restrained,  a  still  happier  may 
be  expected.  I  have  never  had  more  reason  to  hope  for 
success  in  my  labors  than  at  present. 

"  With  affectionate  remembrance  to  Mrs.  Goodell  and 
your  family,  and  to  all  the  brethren  and  sisters  of  your 
mission,  I  am,  as  I  have  been  for  thirty  years  past,  your 

sincere  friend  and  brother  in  Christ, 

"JONAS  KING."' 

BIBLE  AND  TRACT   DISTRIBUTION. 

Dr.  Isaac  Bird  has  called  his  book  on  Eastern  Mis-  y. 
sions,  very  appropriately  "  Bible  Work  in  Bible  Lands." 
Missionaries  there  were  called  Bible-men,  so  emphati- 
cally was  the  distribution  of  the  pure  word  of  God  their 
special  work.  To  none  could  the  above  title  be  applied 
more  truly  than  to  Dr.  Jonas  King.  The  word  of  God 
was  not  only  the  man  of  his  counsel,  but  the  sword  which 
he  used,  knowing  its  power  through  the  Holy  Ghost. 

When  possible  he  would  employ  an  agent  to  assist  in 
thus  spreading  the  truth,  securing,  if  possible,  the  ser- 


272  yONAS  KING. 

vices  of  a  priest,  for  "  a  priest  could  go  into  the  churches 
and  preach  on  the  importance  of  having  the  word  of  God 
in  the  language  they  understand," 

In  the  year  1835,  Dr.  King  sold  or  distributed  gratui- 
tously 2,656  copies  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  or  parts  of 
them,  and  25,893  schoolbooks  and  religious  tracts  ;  in 
1838,  6,275  New  Testaments,  and  books  in  all,  32,410. 
The  average  was  30,400  a  year. 

Such  work  was  not  carried  on  without  opposition. 
In  1836,  a  boy  who  had  bought  some  Psalters  and  New 
Testaments,  and  received  some  tracts,  asked  the  bishop 
of  Talanti  if  he  might  keep  them.  The  bishop  replied, 
"The  tracts  leave  with  me  to  examine.  The  Psalters 
and  New  Testaments  bury."  Still,  as  a  people,  the 
Greeks  were  enlightened  enough  to  know  that  it  was 
contrary  to  the  injunction  of  Christ  for  the  Synod  or 
others  to  prohibit  the  common  people  from  reading  the 
Word  of  God. 

In  1834  a  letter  was  sent  to  Rev.  John  C.  Brigham, 
Secretary,  giving  some  criticisms  asked  for  by  the  Bible 
Society  as  to  their  new  edition  of  the  New  Testament  in 
modern  Greek,  which  was  an  improvement,  he  found, 
upon  that  put  forth  by  the  London  Society,  though  still 
containing  words  that  were  falling  into  disuse  among 
the  more  intelligent  people  of  Greece.  There  was  a 
great  demand  for  these  Bibles.  One  day  forty  or  fifty 
called  for  them,  coming  from  different  parts  of  the  coun- 
try, although  the  priests  often  opposed  this  work. 

With  regard  to  tracts.  Dr.  King's  early  acquaintance 
with  Dr.  W.  A.  Hallock,  ripening  as  years  passed  on  into 


LIFE-  WORK  AT  A THENS.  273 

full  and  appreciative  Christian  friendship,  would  natu- 
rally lead  him  to  use  those  weapons  of  attack  and  de- 
fence which  his  friend  so  earnestly  and  successfully  was 
preparing.  But  their  own  adaptation  to  the  end  in  view 
was  a  sufficient  motive  for  Dr.  King  to  keep  his  armory 
supplied  with  them,  not  only  from  New  York,  but  from 
London,  Paris,  and  Brussels.  The  average  number  of 
pages  distributed  was  about  400,000  yearly,  more  than 
half  of  which  were  provided  by  the  American  Tract  So- 
ciety. Close  correspondence  as  to  every  detail  was  kept 
up  with  his  friend,  the  Secretary  of  this  Society,  which 
no  doubt  is  to  be  found  in  its  archives.  The  influence 
of  efforts  in  this  direction  was  far-reaching. 

In  1857  Dr.  King  writes:  "A  son  of  the  chaplain  of 
the  King  of  Prussia,  who  was  here  last  summer,  and  who 
is  himself  assistant  chaplain  to  the  king,  informed  me 
that  a  copy  of  the  '  Prayers  of  the  Saints,'  which  I  sent 
to  his  father  several  years  before,  had  been  the  means  of 
the  publication  of  many  thousands  of  copies  of  the  same 
in  the  kingdom  of  Prussia,  with  the  difference,  I  believe, 
that  they  were  accompanied  with  remarks  as  to  the  occa- 
sion of  the  prayers ;  whereas  I  published  the  prayers  as 
they  are  found  in  the  Bible,  without  any  remarks,  except 
what  are  contained  in  the  caption  or  summary  of  their 
contents." 

Dr.  King,  during  his  last  years  of  active  service,  gave 
more  and  more  time  to  translating  and  revising  books 
and  tracts,  finding  from  experience  that  a  pure  religious 
literature  was  greatly  needed  in  Greece,  also  a  better 
style  of  schoolbook.     Thus  does  his  work  remain  more 


274  yONAS  KING. 

permanent  in  effect  than  was  possible  in  any  other  form, 
which  yet  at  the  time  might  have  attracted  more  atten- 
tion. A  list  of  books  and  tracts,  prepared  and  supervi- 
sed by  Dr.  King,  is  given  in  Chapter  XXIV.  In  eleven 
years  281,399  books  had  been  distributed. 

TEMPERANCE. 

In  these  days  of  revival  in  the  temperance  cause,  it 
is  pleasant  to  trace  footprints  in  the  past  in  the  same 
direction,  and  Dr.  King  found  reason  indeed  for  effort  of 
this  kind.  Of  one  school  of  eighty  boys  in  Greece  he 
says  :  "  The  teacher  told  me  that  it  is  so  customary  here 
for  people  to  drink  wine  and  to  give  it  to  their  children, 
that  very  often  he  has  been  obliged  to  send  home  these 
little  boys  on  account  of  their  having  drunk  so  much 
wine  with  their  dinner  as  to  be  stupid  and  unfit  for  study. 
At  parties,  I  am  told,  they  make  the  children  drink  in 
their  turn,  as  if  they  were  men  grown !  After  hearing 
of  this,  I  reproved  some  of  the  people  I  saw  for  such  an 
unchristian  usage.  In  one  school  I  found  a  copy  of  the 
ancient  Greek  New  Testament,  printed  at  Boston,  which 
I  suppose  I  brought  with  me  eleven  years  ago,  or  which 
was  sent  to  me  for  distribution." 

In  1842  Dr.  King  drew  up  a  temperance  pledge  in 
Greek,  and  persuaded  ten  or  more  persons  of  different 
grades  and  employments  to  sign  it.  One  gentleman  said 
that  he  had  left  off  wine  since  some  conversation  had 
with  Dr.  King  on  the  subject.  A  physician  at  Megara 
was  delighted  to  join  in  the  effort  to  obtain  names  there. 
One  man  wanted  the  privilege  of  taking  a  little  now  and 


LIFE-WORK  AT  ATHENS.  275 

then,  but  Dr.  King  said,  "  Keep  your  feet  wholly  out  of 
the  devil's  trap." 

Six  years  before  this  time,  however,  the  first  step  was 
taken  to  form  a  society  at  Athens  for  the  diffusion  of 
knowledge  and  promotion  of  temperance  and  sobriety, 
and  opposed  to  card-playing,  duelling,  intemperance  in 
eating  and  drinking,  and  luxury  in  dress  and  furniture, 
that  the  mind  and  body  may  be  kept  in  a  proper  state 
for  acquiring  knowledge  and  improving  in  virtue.  The 
first  meeting  was  held  at  Dr.  King's  house.  Reports  of 
the  temperance  work  in  America  were  translated  and 
read  aloud,  together  with  a  letter  from  Dr.  King  to  Dr. 
Justin  Edwards,  in  answer  to  a  notice  received  of  his 
own  appointment  as  Corresponding  Member  of  the 
American  Temperance  Society,  Thus  was  the  tidal 
wave  of  reform  in  America  felt  upon  the  shores  of 
Greece.  Dr.  King  in  his  letter  compares  the  manufac- 
turers, sellers,  and  drinkers  of  ardent-spirits  to  the  hosts 
of  Midian,  and  said  that  to  overcome  them  lights  must 
be  put  "  within  the  pitchers."  He  contradicts  the  asser- 
tion as  to  the  little  evil  that  comes  from  wine-drinking, 
for  on  the  feast-days  the  people  would  drink  it  at  the 
taverns  until  their  faces  were  inflamed,  and  they  would 
sit  and  sing  nearly  the  whole  night.  Still  there  were  in 
Greece  very  few  sots,  or  habitual  drunkards.  The  influ- 
ence of  Europeans,  however,  had  been  unfortunate.  Rum 
was  used  more  than  formerly,  and  was  often  mixed  with 
the  wine.  Soon  after  Dr.  King  came  to  Athens  a  Turk- 
ish bey,  under  the  influence  of  rum,  caused  a  poor  man 
to  be  beaten  on  the  back  in  such  a  horrible  way  that  he 


276  yOiVAS  KING. 

died  a  few  hours  after,  and  for  no  other  reason  than  that 
the  poor  man  would  not  purchase  his  beans  at  more 
than  the  market  price.  Dr.  King  says,  "  I  saw  him  car- 
ried to  the  grave,  followed  by  many  mourners.  The 
weeping  widow  and  several  little  children  can  tell  some- 
thing of  the  suffering  occasioned  by  the  use  of  ardent 
spirits." 

In  1843  steps  were  taken  in  Athens  for  the  forma- 
tion of  a  society  having  reference  to  temperance  alone, 
and  which  was  favored  by  Dr.  Roeser  and  other  Greek 
friends.  In  one  year  Dr.  King  distributed  over  a  thou- 
sand copies  of  a  translation  into  modern  Greek  of  the 
American  Tract  Society's  tract  on  the  "  Effects  of  Intem- 
perance." In  August,  1848,  there  appears  in  the  Journal 
the  following  note  :  "  Went  to  the  Piraeus  with  my  family 
to  take  the  baths.  A  man  there  asked  me  if  I  remem- 
bered speaking  with  him  on  the  subject  of  intemperance 
when  riding  up  to  Athens  in  a  carriage  in  1845,  and  said 
that  that  conversation  had  been  the  means  of  saving 
him  ;  that  he  had  left  drinking  rum,  which  he  before 
used  in  large  doses  ;  that  he  then  was  ill,  but  was  now 
in  good  health  ;  that  he  owed  this  to  me,  and  that  he  had 
spoken  to  many  others,  and  had  been  the  means  of  turn- 
ing them  from  their  intemperance."   He  seemed  grateful. 

The  editor  of  the  "  Athena"  once  said  that  by  means  of 
a  piece  prepared  by  Dr.  King  for  reading  at  a  meeting  of 
the  Temperance  Society,  and  which  had  been  printed  in 
parts  in  his  paper,  he  believed  about  one  thousand  per- 
sons had  been  reclaimed  from  drinking. 

In  1854  Dr.  King  wrote  to  Commodore  Stringham  in 


LIFE-  WORK  AT  ATHENS. 


277 


regard  to  a  young  man  left  by  him  at  Athens  who  greatly 
needed  Christian  aid  and  encouragement.  This  Dr.  King 
was  enabled  to  give.  The  young  man,  upon  recovery  to 
usual  health,  signed  the  temperance  pledge. 

These  selections  in  regard  to  temperance  may  close 
fittingly  with  a  fact  much  to  the  honor  of  Governor 
Wright,  U.  S.  minister  at  Berlin  at  the  time  of  the  meet- 
ing of  the  Evangelical  Alliance  there  in  1857.  In  con- 
nection with  a  nine  days'  meeting  held  at  that  time,  of 
which  Dr.  King  made  record,  he  adds :  "  Dined,  in  com- 
pany with  other  Americans,  with  our  minister,  who  had 
no  wine  on  his  table,  and  whose  health  we  drank  with 
bumpers  of  water." 

i  VISITS  TO  PRISONS.  ' 

Dr.  King  did  not  forget  the  prisoner.  He  sought  par- 
ticular permission  from  the  king's  attorney  to  visit  the 
prison  at  Athens,  and  was  referred  to  the  minister  of  jus- 
tice, and  then  to  the  Synod.  About  a  year  after  he  was  still 
unable  to  get  an  order  allowing  the  New  Testament  to 
be  given  to  the  prisoners,  even  those  condemned  to  death 
being  thus  deprived  of  the  gospel.  The  minister  of  jus- 
tice rema'rked,  however,  that  owing  to  what  Dr.  King  had 
said,  religious  books  had  been  put  in  the  prison,  and  the 
Catechism  of  Plato,  and  a  priest  had  been  ordered  to  go 
every  Sunday  and  teach  the  prisoners.  Dr.  King  asked, 
"  Of  what  account  is  this  so  long  as  the  gospel  of  our 
Lord  is  excluded  T  He  answered,  "  But  the  Synod, 
whose  authority  is  respected  in  Greece,  has  so  ordered 
it."      Dr.  King.  "  Well,  we  all,  synods  and  rulers  and 

Jonas  King.  24 


2 73  yONAS  KING. 

kings,  shall  soon  appear  before  a  higher  tribunal,  before 
Jesus  Christ,  to  give  an  account." 

In  1843,  when  at  Ratisbon,  a  visit  to  the  dungeons 
there,  and  a  sight  of  the  instruments  of  torture  used  by 
those  in  old  times,  weighed  heavily  on  Dr.  King's  heart. 
The  details  are  too  shocking  to  repeat.  The  terrible  ap- 
pliances used  in  the  rack-chamber  haunted  the  visitor's 
mind  night  and  day.  He  said,  "  Thank  God  for  the  light 
which  has  now  driven  away  such  darkness  of  iniquity." 


LIFE- WORK  AT  ATHENS.  279 

CHAPTER    XVIII. 

LIFE-WORK  AT  ATHENS  CONTINUED. 

Home,  Hospitality,  Correspondence,  and  Personal  Religious  Expe- 
rience. 

The  most  cursory  view  of  Dr.  King's  life  and  influ- 
ence in  Greece  would  recognize  the  warm-hearted  hospi- 
tality which  made  his  home  a  centre,  not  only  to  the 
missionary  traveller,  but  to  every  American  and  English- 
man passing  through  Athens.  Frequent  excursions  were 
made  to  the  seaport,  the  Piraeus,  to  "  welcome  the  coming 
or  to  speed  the  parting  guest."  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Buel  of 
the  Baptist  Board  were  stationed  there,  and  many  pleas- 
ant hours  were  passed  under  their  roof  while  waiting  for 
tide  or  steamer. 

It  were  an  impossible  task  to  give  the  names  of  all 
the  friends  thus  received.  Gov.  Cass,  Dr.  Willett,  Dr. 
Calhoun  of  Mount  Lebanon,  Dr.  Geo.  B.  Cheever,  Mr. 
Littlefield,  Miss  Susan  Holmes,  Dr.  Van  Rensselaer, 
Rev.  Mr.  Lawrence  of  Marblehead,  Rev.  Arthur  Mitch- 
ell, Charles  A.  Stoddard,  Thurlow  Weed,  and  Dr.  Duf- 
field.  Brooks  of  Boston,  Rev.  W.  C.  Roberts,  and  many 
others,  were  of  the  number.  A  Mr.  Allen  was  sick  at 
the  house  for  weeks  of  typhus  fever,  and  Rev.  Francis 
Parker  of  Boston  spent  his  last  hours  there,  both  of  them 
receiving  attention  as  in  a  brother's  house.    Dr.  Levburn 


28o  yONAS  KING. 

came,  a  welcome  assistant  in  the  work,  and  the  Arnolds 
of  the  Baptist  church  gave  loving  sympathy  on  occasion 
of  the  death  of  Dr.  King's  youngest  daughter,  Aspasia, 
after  a  severe  illness  of  seven  weeks.  This  affliction 
was  the  more  trying,  because  just  then  Mrs.  King  was 
with  her  daughters  in  America,  and  the  cholera  was  lit- 
erally raging  through  the  city.  Intercourse  with  Dr.  and 
Mrs.  Korck,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Benjamin,  was  also  of 
pleasant  character. 

Rev.  S.  I.  Prime,  D.  D.,  and  a  son  of  Henry  Hill,  Esq., 
visited  Athens  in  1853.  There  seemed  a  comedy  of  er- 
rors as  regards  their  experiences  in  a  rainstorm,  but  all 
was  forgotten  in  the  delight  of  a  communion  service  to- 
gether, administered  by  Dr.  Prime,  who  also  preached  in 
the  evening.  "A  good  audience  and  an  admirable  ser- 
mon. I  do  not  know  that  I  have  heard  such  a  sermon 
for  many  years.  His  text  was  Colos.  3:3:'  For  ye  are 
dead,  and  your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God.' " 

Dr.  King's  acquaintance  with  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Robert 
Baird  was  particularly  intimate.  Meeting  Dr.  King  first 
during  his  first  visit  to  America,  Dr.  Baird  afterwards 
said  that  Dr.  King  had  been  the  means  of  his  going  him- 
self to  Europe.  This,  on  account  of  its  results,  Dr.  King 
considered  an  item  of  considerable  importance.  The 
friends  met  afterwards  in  Switzerland,  and  the  union  was 
still  farther  cemented  by  the  long  stay  in  Athens  of  one 
of  Dr.  Baird's  sons,  who  by  his  studies  there  in  1851  still 
further  prepared  himself  to  fill  most  honorably  a  chair  in 
the  New  York  University.  By  his  prayers  and  Christian 
sympathy  he  greatly  cheered  his  venerated  host,  and  his 


LIFE-  WORK  AT  A THENS.  28 1 

book  on  "Modern  Greece"  is  a  valuable  contribution  in 
regard  to  that  country. 

Saturday,  March  16,  1853,  Dr.  King  writes:  "The 
celebrated  poet,  William  Cullen  Bryant,  called  to  see  me 
with  three  other  Americans.  When  a  boy  I  was  ac- 
quainted with  Mr.  Bryant,  and  visited  at  his  father's 
house.  That  was  about  fifty  years  ago."  Again  on  the 
1 8th  inst. :  "Mr  Bryant  and  Mr.  Durand  spent  the  even- 
ing with  us.  I  was  much  pleased  with  Mr.  Bryant,  a 
man  of  merit,  with  great  simplicity  of  manner.  This  is 
what  I  like — a  man  of  first-rate  talent  without  seeming 
to  be  aware  of  it." 

In  1854  Washington's  birthday  was  observed  by  the 
Americans  in  Athens  with  much  ceremony.  Hon.  Hugh 
Maxwell  of  New  York,  "  in  a  brief  but  lucid  and  happy 
manner,  portrayed  the  noble  character  of  the  man  whose 
name  is  honored  by  every  freeman  in  the  world.  Others 
besides  Americans  were  present,  and  many  eyes  were 
filled  with  tears."  The  following  notice  appeared  in  the 
"  Panhellenium  "  soon  after : 

"  Thanks  and  gratitude  to  the  American  orator,  Max- 
well, for  the  noble  and  truly  most  Christian  sentiments 
of  himself  and  of  the  illustrious  American  nation,  which 
he  expressed  in  his  speech  at  Athens,  the  loth  of  Febru- 
ary (22d,  N.  S.),  1854,  in  the  house  of  the  most  Reverend 
Mr.  King,  the  representative  of  this  evangelical  nation  of 
the  New  World,  at  the  celebration  of  the  birthday  of  its 
glorious  and  ever-memorable  reformer,  George  Washing- 
ton. These  truly  divine  and  golden  words  which  he 
uttered  will   remain  ineffaceable  in    the   hearts  of  the 

24* 


282  yONAS  KING. 

Greeks  everywhere,  exultant  with  enthusiastic  joy  and 
gratitude. 

"Such  was  the  sympathy  which  the  people  of  the 
United  States  felt  and  expressed  for  those  who  were 
struggling  for  liberty  when  Greece  sought  to  throw  off 
the  Mussulman  yoke.  Nor  will  this  sympathy  be  less 
fervent,  nor  the  manifestation  of  it  less  speedy  and  de- 
cided, in  any  similar  future  struggle  of  any  other  part  of 
the  Greek  race. 

"  Eternal,  eternal  be  the  memory  of  the  glorious  and 
celebrated  George  Washington  ! 

"  Live  for  ever  !  Live  for  ever,  the  glorious  and  most 
Christian  American  nation  ! 

"COUNT  WINCHESEY." 

Prof.  Blackie  of  Scotland,  Dr.  Raffles  of  Liverpool, 
and  other  European  Christians,  helped  brighten  the 
house  where  they  themselves  were  refreshed.  Lady 
Franklin  also  here  received  sympathy  and  greeting. 

Greeks  and  even  Mussulmans  took  refuge  in  Dr. 
King's  house  in  time  of  trouble.  Sometimes  ten  or 
eleven  strangers  would  be  there  ;  nor  let  us  wonder  that 
sometimes  his  kind  heart  was  imposed  upon  by  strangers 
whom  he  could  not  bear  to  think  of  as  less  honest  and 
sincere  than  himself. 

Hon.  Geo.  P.  Marsh  and  Commodore  Stringham  were 
privileged  to  do  a  great  work  in  defence  of  the  right,  as 
appears  in  the  account  of  Dr.  King's  persecutions.  His 
acquaintance  became  in  time  a  very  large  one,  and  his 
correspondence  consequently  extensive.     In  his  travels 


LIFE-  WORK  AT  ATHENS.  283 

we  find  mention  of  C.  Edwards  Lester,  Powers  the  sculp- 
tor, Count  Cavour,  who  called  and  walked  out  with  Dr. 
King  to  show  him  the  city  of  Turin,  and  of  whom  he 
speaks  as  a  very  liberal-minded,  intelligent  man.  Charles 
Tilt  at  Florence  showed  Dr.  King  no  little  kindness,  as 
did  also  Rev.  Mr.  Hare,  Henry  Innis,  Esq.,  and  Rev. 
Mr.  Loundes  at  Malta,  where  also  he  met  the  reformers 
Achilli  and  De  Sanctis.  A  sister  of  Kossuth,  "  a  very 
interesting  person,"  Dr.  and  Mrs.  King  called  to  see  at 
the  Piraeus,  who  said  her  brother  and  all  the  family  were 
Protestants,  which  brought  the  cause  of  Hungary  very 
near  his  heart. 

At  Rome  in  1847,  Dr.  King  had  a  most  interesting 
conversation  with  the  Padre  Ventura,  said  to  be  the  prin- 
cipal mover  in  all  the  reforms  about  that  time  instituted 
by  the  pope,  Pio  Nono,  and  the  eulogist  of  Daniel  O'Con- 
nel.  Padre  Ventura  wrote  under  his  own  likeness,  which 
he  gave  to  Dr.  King,  these  words  :  "  L'unico  mezzo  evan- 
gelico  de  propagare  il  Cristianismo  e  la  predicazione  da 
parola  del  Vangelo" — "The  only  evangelical  means  of 
propagating  Christianity  is  the  preaching  of  the  word  of 
the  gospel."  More  than  one  friendly  discussion  was  held 
by  these  two  representative  men,  who  finally  parted  with 
a  friendly  embrace  and  with  mutual  good  wishes. 

Dr.  King  was  presented  to  the  pope,  but  says  he  did 
not  bow  the  knee  before  him  nor  kiss  his  hand,  though 
he  witnessed  the  adoration  that  he  received  from  the 
populace. 

After  conversing  with  Cardinal  Mezzofanti  in  five  or 
six  of  the  fifty  different  languages  which  he  could  use, 


2S4  yOJVAS  KING. 

but  principally  in  Arabic,  which  Mezzofanti  spoke  very 
fluently,  he  gave  Dr.  King,  at  his  request,  his  autograph, 
writing  the  subjoined  lines  : 

"  Great  many  tongues  resound  among  mankind, 
Their  number  overwhelms  the  power  of  mind; 
Here  under  English  lines  I  write  my  name; 
I  like  this  noble  language,  dear  to  fame. 

"J.  MEZZOFANTI." 
"  Rome,  Oct.  18,  1847." 

Dr.  King  himself  had  studied,  more  or  less,  ten  or 
eleven  languages. 

Very  probably  a  part  of  the  conversation  between 
the  two  linguists  turned  on  the  proper  pronunciation  of 
Greek  in  our  schools  and  universities,  for  Dr.  King  often 
expressed  the  opinion  very  decidedly  that  that  of  modern 
Greek  should  be  the  exemplar.  Many  words  are  the 
same  in  the  ancient  language  and  the  present.  The  new 
dialect  among  the  more  intelligent  Greeks  is  constantly 
drawing  from  the  old  ;  and  if  a  student  in  the  United 
States  or  in  Europe  were  taught  to  pronounce  the  words 
as  they  are  pronounced  at  Athens,  he  would  be  able  to 
hold  conversation  with  the  learned  there  in  a  very  short 
time,  and  very  soon  with  the  common  people.  Dr.  King 
thought  Homer  and  Demosthenes  would  hardly  recog- 
nize their  own  productions  as  read  in  our  colleges,  the 
sound  of  which  "  has  been  evolved  from  modern  inner 
■consciousness." 

Many  letters  were  interchanged  by  him  with  Mr.  J. 
C  Symmes  of  London,  whose  liberal  spirit  devised  and 
r^arried  out  many  things  in  aid  of  his  friend's  work  and 
personal  comfort. 


LIFE-  WORK  AT  A THENS.  285 

In  November,  1852,  we  find  mention  of  the  name  of 
Howard  Crosby,  Esq.,  who  has  since  proved  himself,  as 
a  divine  as  well  as  a  layman,  a  warm  and  efficient  friend 
to  the  Greek  mission,  and  whose  house  in  New  York  has 
been  a  home  indeed  to  some  connected  with  that  mis- 
sion. 

Letters  passed  also  between  Dr.  King  and  Fisher 
Howe,  Esq.,  of  Brooklyn,  whose  work  on  "  Oriental 
Scenes"  was  much  enjoyed  by  one  so  familiar  with  these 
subjects  as  was  Dr.  King.  Other  names  also  appear  of 
men  distinguished  in  the  world  of  literature,  science,  or 
Christian  benevolence,  such  as  Dr.  Edward  D.  Atwater, 
Nathaniel  Hawthorne,  Rev.  Edward  Robinson,  D.  D., 
Prof.  C.  C.  Felton,  and  O.  E.  Wood.  Official  correspon- 
dence was  had  with  Daniel  Webster,  B.  F.  Butler,  Secre- 
tary of  State  under  Van  Buren,  and  other  well-known 
statesmen,  who  seemed  to  take  personal  interest  in  vin- 
dicating the  rights  of  an  American  citizen  and  mission- 
ary abroad.  To  Edward  Everett  Dr.  King  sent  a  frag- 
ment of  marble  from  the  Acropolis  ;  and  through  Dr. 
King  also  a  larger  block  was  consigned  by  the  Greek 
government,  to  become  a  part  of  the  Washington  Mon- 
ument. 

In  1844  Rev.  Dr.  Anderson  made  a  second  official 
visit  to  the  East,  accompanied  at  this  time  by  Rev.  Dr. 
Joel  Hawes  of  Hartford,  at  which  time  free  conference 
was  had  with  Drs.  King  and  Benjamin.  It  was  decided 
that  Dr.  Benjamin  should  go  among  the  Armenians  in 
Turkey,*  while  Dr.  King  remained  until  his  death  the  only 
*  Dr.  Anderson's  Oriental  Churches,  p.  160. 


286  yONAS  KING. 

missionary  of  the  American  Board  in  Greece.  During 
nearly  the  whole  of  Dr.  King's  life  in  Athens,  Dr.  Hill, 
an  American  Episcopal  missionary,  whose  coming  to 
Greece  has  been  mentioned,  was  resident  there  also. 

Athens  was  by  no  means  as  quiet  a  place  as  its  age 
might  lead  one  to  expect.  On  one  occasion  Dr.  King, 
returning  from  Smyrna  with  his  family,  found  his  house 
occupied  by  Bavarian  soldiers,  and  several  days  passed 
before  the  Nomarch  and  Demagerontes  succeeded  in  dis- 
lodging them.  At  another  time,  a  house  used  for  his 
Lancastrian  school  was  claimed  for  use  by  the  Govern- 
ment party  just  then  in  power  for  the  accommodation  of 
some  ofificers,  and  the  furniture  and  benches  were  turned 
out  into  the  streets.  These  were  troublous  times.  Fur- 
ther facts  will  be  given  in  the  account  of  Dr.  King's  per- 
secutions. 

His  personal  relations  with  the  kings  of  Greece  were 
always  pleasant  and  satisfactory.  A  Bavarian  prince, 
named  Otho,  was  put  at  the  head  of  affairs  in  1833,  after 
the  murder  of  President  Capodistria.  The  Acropolis  was 
then  given  up  by  the  Turks,  and  Athens  became  the 
seat  of  government. 

King  Otho  proved  friendly  to  the  American  residents 
there.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  King  were  invited  a  number  of 
times  to  the  palace.  When  the  notes  of  invitation  came, 
it  was  sometimes  pleasantly  said,  that  Otho,  king  of 
Greece,  wished  to  confer  with  Jonas,  king  of  America. 
When  a  ball  was  proposed,  special  word  would  come  that 
there  would  be  rooms  where  there  would  be  no  dancing, 
and  that  Dr.  King  might  retire  when  he  chose.     In  1834, 


LIFE-  WORK  AT  A THENS.  2 8 7 

the  king  and  the  bishop  of  the  city  attended  the  exami- 
nation in  Greek,  geometry,  algebra,  and  the  philosophy  of 
language,  held  for  three  days,  of  the  students  of  the 
gymnasium. 

In  February,  1835,  at  a  public  reception  of  Count 
Armansberg,  King  Otho  asked  Dr.  King  many  questions 
as  to  his  work,  and  a  few  days  after  sent  for  his  Ameri- 
can compeer.  The  Journal  states  :  "  At  half-past  six  I  was 
received  by  the  king  with  much  urbanity  and  kindness, 
who  asked  me  many  questions  about  my  work,  my  coun- 
try, and  the  colleges  in  America.  I  told  him  that  it  was 
the  students  of  my  gymnasium  that  presented  to  him  a 
crown  on  a  book,  as  he  came  from  Eleusis  to  Athens  the 
first  time,  and  how  many  difficulties  they  had  to  encoun- 
ter for  want  of  a  lexicon  and  other  books.  On  his  ask- 
ing me  why  the  United  States  had  no  debt,  how  they 
managed  to  arrive  to  such  a  state  of  independence  as  to 
debt,  I  replied  that  we  pay  but  little  to  those  in  office, 
except  to  our  judges,  have  but  few  soldiers,  and  many 
husbandmen.  In  speaking  of  Greece,  I  said,  '  Your 
majesty  has  a  great  task  to  perform.'  Toward  the  close 
I  mentioned  to  him  that  I  had  a  friend,  Mr.  Riggs,  who 
would  like  to  pay  his  respects  to  his  majesty,  and  he  said, 
'  To-morrow  evening  at  half-past  six,  I  will  see  you  with 
your  friend,'  and  I  retired  much  gratified  with  my  recep- 
tion, and  also  with  the  apparent  good  disposition  of  the 
king.  At  the  time  appointed  I  presented  Mr.  Riggs  to 
the  king,  who  received  us  very  kindly." 

Of  one  evening,  on  occasion  of  a  visit  of  the  king  of 
Bavaria  to  his  son,  King  Otho,  Dr.  King  says :  "  About 


288  yONAS  KING. 

two  hundred  and  fifty  were  present,  nearly  all  the  foreign 
ambassadors  with  their  families,  the  ministers  of  state, 
and  many  others.  At  about  nine  o'clock  the  two  kings 
came  in,  bowed  to  the  party,  and  took  their  seats  in  two 
great  chairs  placed  nearly  in  the  middle  of  the  hall,  and 
the  concert  commenced.  The  most  of  the  time  was 
spent  in  singing  and  playing  on  the  piano  by  ladies  pres- 
ent. An  interval  of  perhaps  half  an  hour  was  spent  in 
conversation,  during  which  time  cakes  and  lemonade 
were  handed  to  the  company."  In  1853,  when  under 
sentence  of  exile,  Dr.  King  was  still  invited  to  the  court 
as  before.  The  queen  too  proved  very  friendly.  She 
once  gave  to  Dr.  King's  little  daughter,  Elizabeth,  a 
pretty  little  basket,  long  treasured  in  remembrance  of 
her  visit  to  the  palace.  When  Dr.  King  at  one  time  had 
just  returned  from  Germany,  the  queen  asked  many  ques- 
tions about  the  journey,  and  told  him  what  he  did  not 
know  before,  that  the  archduchess  of  Austria,  and  the 
margrave  of  Baden,  whom  he  had  met,  were  her  rela- 
tives. 

The  frigate  "  Constitution  "  coming  to  the  Piraeus  in 
1835,  Dr.  King  entertained  the  ofHcers  at  his  own  house, 
and  went  with  them  when  introduced  to  the  king  and 
ministers.  Commodore  Elliott  proposed  that  Dr.  King 
should  be  made  a  consul,  which  he  at  this  time  declined  ; 
he  was  used,  however,  more  than  once  as  an  informal 
medium  of  communication  between  the  government  of 
Greece  and  that  of  the  United  States,  and  seemingly  to 
the  satisfaction  of  both  parties,  even  before  he  became, 
in  185 1,  assistant  consul  for  America,     It  will  be  seen 


LIFE  WORK  AT  A2 HENS.  289 

that  during  subsequent  persecutions,  this  official  posi- 
tion was  one  of  the  orderings  of  Providence  in  his  be- 
half. 

Dr.  King's  relations  with  the  Duke  de  Broglie  wer 


re 


such  as  to  enable  him  to  aid  the  cause  of  Greece  with 
France  also.  In  1843  M.  Colletti,  coming  to  Athens  as 
special  messenger,  told  Dr.  King  that  what  he  had  writ- 
ten about  Greece  had  prepared  the  way  for  the  recoo-ni- 
tion  of  the  new  order  of  things  there  by  the  French  gov- 
ernment, and  that  his  representations  had  had  influence 
in  England  also,  for  Dr.  King's  statements  had  been  re- 
ceived, when  those  of  others  were  more  than  doubted. 

Dr.  King's  health  was  ever  frail ;  yet  his  constitution 
must  have  been  excellent,  to  allow  of  such  persistent 
effort  for  so  many  years. 

As  many  false  reports  have  been  made  of  the  wealth 
acquired  by  him  in  Athens,  suffice  it  to  say,  that  upon 
his  first  going  there,  purchase  of  land  was  necessary,  for 
no  place  could  be  hired  for  school  or  dwelling.  Much 
property  had  been  confiscated.  The  market  was  over- 
flooded.  Dr.  King  bought  some  lots  on  most  advanta- 
geous terms.  Afterwards  the  Greek  government  wished 
to  use  about  an  acre  of  this  ground  for  a  public  park, 
and  it  was  not  until  after  twenty  years  that  Dr.  King's 
claims  were  adjusted,  through  the  intervention  of  Hon, 
George  P.  Marsh,  who  also  secured  his  rights  as  an 
American  citizen.  The  facts  as  to  these  purchases  and 
the  rise  of  property  in  Athens,  have  been  much  exagge- 
rated. Dr.  King's  salary  was  small,  barely  sufficient 
with  economy  to  meet  the  current  expenses  of  his  hos- 

Jonas  King.  ^  C 


290  JONAS  KING. 

pitable  home  and  growing  family.  Twice  he  kept  a 
horse  on  account  of  his  health,  but  sold  it  again  after  a 
few  months,  to  save  expense  to  the  Board.  Does  any- 
one regret  that  a  missionary,  as  well  as  any  other  man, 
should  be  able  to  leave  his  wife  and  children  in  comfort- 
able circumstances .'' 

As  to  this  family,  what  joy  came  to  the  father's  heart 
as  from  time  to  time  he  heard  of  the  hoped-for  conver- 
sion of  his  children  while  absent  from  him  in  America! 
His  letters  to  them  on  these  occasions  are  epitomes  of 
parental  gospel  instruction.  A  code  of  maxims,  written 
by  him  in  June,  1842,  is  herewith  subjoined. 

"  I.  Forget  not  to  pray  in  secret  every  day.  If  pos- 
sible, two  or  three  times  a  day. 

"  2.  Read  a  portion  of  God's  Holy  Word  both  morn- 
ing and  evening. 

"  3.  In  the  morning,  think,  *  What  can  I  do  to-day  to 
glorify  my  God  and  Saviour  T  and  at  night  ask  yourself, 
*  What  have  I  done  to-day  to  glorify  him  ?' 

"4.  Remember  that  our  home  is  in  heaven;  that 
your  father  hopes  to  meet  you  there  one  day,  and  to  re- 
main there  together  through  eternity ;  that  to  go  there, 
we  must  love  God  with  all  the  heart,  must  repent  of  all 
sin,  believe  in  Jesus  Christ  and  obey  all  his  commands. 
These  commands  you  will  find  in  his  Holy  Word,  the 
Bible. 

"  5.  Devote  every  Lord's  day  to  the  Lord,  to  reading 
his  Holy  Word,  to  prayer,  to  hearing  the  gospel  preach- 
ed, and  to  meditation  on  the  things  that  are  above,  where 
Christ  is. 


LIFE-  WORK  AT  A THENS.  29 1 

"6.  Speak  the  truth  at  all  times.  Never  dissemhle. 
Never  tell  a  lie. 

"  7.  Choose  for  your  friends  and  playmates  those  who 
love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  his  Holy  Word. 

"  8.  Keep  yourselves  from  idols. 

"9.  Do  not  keep  company  with  those  who  lie,  who 
trifle  with  the  truth,  who  disregard  God's  holy  day,  who 
neglect  his  Holy  Word,  and  who  seem  not  to  reverence 
the  name  of  God,  the  Creator  of  all  things. 

"  10.  If  any  one  laughs  at  you  for  being  devoted  to 
God,  for  praying  to  God,  for  loving  prayer,  for  keeping 
his  day  holy,  for  reading  his  Word,  for  being  religious, 
do  not  be  angry  with  them,  and  do  not  be  sorrowful ; 
rather  rejoice  that  you  should  suffer  shame  for  Christ's 
sake.  All  good  people  are  more  or  less  despised  by  the 
wicked  people  of  this  world. 

"II.  Never  go  to  a  ball  or  a  theatre,  however  much 
your  young  friends  or  old  friends  may  solicit  you  and 
urge  you. 

"  12.  Remember  your  father  and  his  instructions,  and 
pray  for  him  every  day." 

Of  Dr.  King's  own  inner  life,  it  may  be  said  that  he 
was  well  aware  of  his  besetting  imperfections  ;  and  that 
he  often  wrote  about  as  follows  :  "  I  desire  a  meek  and 
humble  and  quiet  spirit,  that  will  submit  to  anything 
that  God  sends."  Under  the  influence  of  early  training, 
he,  for  some  years,  probably  spent  more  time  in  fasting 
and  in  searchings  of  his  own  heart  for  tokens  of  his  ac- 
ceptance with  God,  than  was  profitable ;  but  it  is  to  the 
glory  of  our  God  to  note  that  as  life  passed  on,  and  was 


292  yONAS  KING. 

more  and  more  given  to  the  service  of  Christ,  this  dear 
servant  of  his  learned  to  look  upon  him  as  a  Saviour  all- 
sufficient  to  deliver  from  all  evil  ;  so  that  he  found  out 
the  secret  of  casting  anchor,  not  in  one's  own  experience 
or  feelings,  but  in  the  finished  work  of  our  blessed  Re- 
deemer. In  June,  1840,  Dr.  King  writes:  "  God  would 
never  have  given  me  such  a  spirit  of  prayer  and  suppli- 
cation and  of  dependence  on  him,  if  he  did  not  intend 
finally  to  give  me  the  victory."  Again  in  1843  :  "  I  think 
I  have  more  joy  in  believing  than  I  used  to  have,  perhaps 
than  I  ever  had  before,  and  I  feel  a  degree  of  certainty 
that  I  love  the  Saviour  and  that  I  am  born  of  God,  which 
I  perhaps  never  felt  before ;  and  I  can  speak  differently 
now  from  what  I  used  to  speak.  Oh,  I  am  so  happy  in 
Christ ;  have  such  a  hope  of  a  crown,  a  kingdom,  an  in- 
heritance in  heaven,  that  all  the  grandeur  of  this  earth 
seems  vain.  To  love  Christ,  serve  Christ,  live  for  Christ, 
to  glorify  Christ,  whether  by  life  or  by  death,  seems  so 
great,  so  wonderful,  so  glorious. 

"As  I  walk  the  streets  of  this  joyous  city  [Vienna],  I 
sometimes  weep  to  think  that  I  am  permitted  to  do 
something  for  Christ ;  to  say  a  word  for  him  to  those 
whom  I  meet  with  !  Glorious  service,  happy  service,  the 
service  of  Christ !  I  long  to  do  much  for  him  ;  I  beg  of 
him  to  give  me  much  to  do  in  his  yineyard.  Lord  Jesus, 
help  me  to  glorify  thee." 

"Jan.  24,  1849.  This  has  been  to  me  a  happy  day. 
I  have  had  opportunity  to  converse  with  ten  or  twelve 
different  persons,  Greeks,  seriously  on  the  subject  of  re- 
lierion." 


LIFE-  WORK  AT  A THENS.  2 93 

"  Jan.  18,  1852.  Almost  the  only  thing  which  greatly 
interests  me  now  on  earth  is  the  work  of  my  mission. 
The  world  seems  to  have  lost  its  charms.  Intercourse 
with  those  who  have  nothing  to  speak  of  but  the  things 
of  this  world  seems  wearisome.  In  conversing  with  peo- 
ple in  regard  to  the  concerns  of  their  souls,  and  in  pre- 
paring my  sermons,  I  am  happy." 

Amid  all  his  trials  and  anxieties,  facts  like  the  follow- 
ing, which  came  to  him  through  Rev.  David  Stoddard  of 
Ooroomiah,  more  than  once  brought "  comfort  and  joy  and 
strength  "  to  his  soul. 

Sometime  since  as  one  of  the  Secretaries  of  the  Board 
was  travelling  in  Vermont,  he  went  into  a  house  where 
he  was  unknown,  and  commenced  conversing  with  the 
inmates.  He  soon  found  that  the  mother  of  the  family 
was  deeply  interested  in  missions.  Said  she,  "  I  have 
read  the  '  Missionary  Herald '  for  thirty  years  straight 
through,  and  there  is  not  a  single  missionary  that  I  have 
not  known  something  about."  She  then  went  on  to  enu- 
merate different  individuals  who  have  been  at  times  in 
circumstances  of  peculiar  trial,  and  for  whom  she  had 
been  accustomed  to  pray  by  name.  "  There,"  said  she, 
"  is  Dr.  King,  at  Athens.  I  have  long  prayed  for  him. 
Sometimes  when  I  have  waked  up  in  the  night,  and  be- 
gun to  pray  for  him,  I  have  felt  impelled  to  get  up  and 
pray  on  my  knees.  'No,'  said  I,  'it  will  do  just  as  well  in 
my  bed  ;'  but  nothing  would  answer  till  I  got  up  and 
poured  out  an  earnest  prayer  for  him  on  my  knees,  and 
then  I  went  to  bed  and  slept  quietly."  When  she  was 
through,  the  Secretary  said,  "  Well,  I  'm  extremely  inter- 

25* 


294  yOJVAS  KING. 

ested  in  all  this.  I  know  Dr.  King  very  well  myself.  I 
have  been  with  him  at  Athens,  in  the  midst  of  his  trou- 
bles." The  woman  looked  at  him  with  surprise  and  in- 
credulity for  a  moment,  and  then  said,  "  Go  right  out  of 
my  house,  this  minute.  There  is  not  a  word  of  truth  in 
it."  Her  faith,  strong  as  it  was,  did  not  extend  to  this. 
She  could  not  believe  that  any  one  who  had  actually  seen 
him  in  Athens,  could  ever  see  her  in  Vermont. 

Of  the  above  account  in  a  letter  from  Dr.  Anderson, 
Dr.  King  says,  "  I  read  it  with  tears ;  and  when  I  read  it 
to  my  wife,  she  seemed  affected  even  to  tears."  Upon 
his  return  to  this  country,  though  making  many  inqui- 
ries, Dr.  King  was  never  able  to  find  out  the  name  of  his 
Vermont  friend. 


FRUITS  OF  LABOR.  295 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

FRUITS  OF  LABOR. 

Yusuf  Aga — Various  Testimonies — Luigi  Bianclii — Dr.  Anderson's 
View  of  Dr.  King's  Missionary  Work. 

The  promise  reads,  "My  word  shall  not  return  unto 
me  void,"  and  Dr.  King's  distribution  of  the  Bible,  and 
his  expositions  of  it,  so  plain  and  simple  in  opposition  to 
the  technicalities  of  the  priests,  the  instruction  given  by 
him  in  the  schools,  his  preaching  in  the  chapel  and  by  the 
wayside  everywhere,  could  not  fail  of  good  results,  for  in 
all  and  through  all  it  is  plain  to  see  that  he  ever  looked 
above  for  a  blessing  upon  every  effort.  Although  Dr. 
King's  was  eminently  a  work  of  subsoiling  and  prepara- 
tion, still  he  was  permitted  himself  to  see,  here  and  there, 
the  promise  and  even  the  first  fruits  of  a  rich  harvest. 

Incidental  instances  of  this  have  been  given,  and  also 
of  the  way  in  which  the  hearts  of  men  in  political  power 
were  sometimes  turned  in  favor  of  the  gospel. 

In  1841,  the  Greek  ambassador  to  England  expressed 
deep  interest  in  regard  to  having  the  Septuagint  repub- 
lished in  Modern  Greek,  and  thus  adapted  to  popular 
use.  A  colonel  in  the  army  said  he  often  sent  people  to 
Dr.  King  for  books  and  that  he  approved  of  his  teaching. 
The  story  of  Yusuf  Aga  is  an  interesting  one.  When  a 
boy  of  twelve  years,  he  was  treated  so  cruelly  at  home 
by  his  step-brothers,  that  he  jumped  from  a  window  and 


296  yONAS  KING. 

went  to  the  cadi  at  Tripolizza,  and  became  a  Mussulman. 
Being  of  a  distinguished  Greek  family  he  rose  to  power 
and  wealth.  About  1841,  he  came  to  Greece  and  took 
on  him  some  expenses  for  his  nephews  and  nieces  there. 
Dr.  King  sought  his  acquaintance  and  soon  commended 
to  him  the  study  of  the  New  Testament,  and  Yusuf  came 
to  the  next  Sunday  service.  With  the  uncle  of  this  man 
Dr.  King  held  spirited  discussions  also.  After  a  while 
Yusuf  was  dangerously  sick.  There  was  a  suspicion  of 
poison,  never  proven.  Afterwards  this  man  took  refuge 
in  Dr.  King's  own  house,  bearing  all  his  own  expenses  ; 
coming  there  at  first  at  night  with  all  the  importunity 
of  the  man  desiring  three  loaves  and  which  could  not  be 
resisted.  His  stay  continued  for  over  two  months.  Ev- 
ery day  some  time  was  given  to  the  religious  instruction 
of  himself  and  his  followers  ;  and  his  Greek  relatives 
came  often  to  hear  Dr.  King  preach.  There  was  danger 
that  Dr.  King  would  be  accused  of  the  terrible  crim.e  of 
proselytism.  One  thing  was  true,  that  the  teaching  of 
the  Gospel  was  of  more  use  to  Yusuf's  bodily  health  than 
all  the  prescriptions  of  the  physicians,  who  yet  were  in- 
telligent and  excellent  men. 

Sometimes  a  young  Greek  would  come  and  say  that 
he  owed  to  Dr.  King's  instructions  at  Athens  his  safety 
from  evils  to  which  he  was  exposed,  that  he  should  oth- 
wise  have  been  ruined ;  or  a  lady  would  send  for  Scott's 
"  Force  of  Truth  "  and  then  tell  Dr.  King  she  had  left 
all  her  images  and  prayers  to  saints,  and  prayed  only  to 
God  through  Jesus  Christ,  taking  the  Scriptures  as  her 
only  rule  and  making  them  now  her  constant  study. 


FRUITS  OF  LABOR,  297 

Others  are  mentioned  as  also  coming  to  the  light  and 
saying  they  could  not  conscientiously  remain  believing 
one  thing  and  practising  the  other.  One  man  said  that 
if  he  made  his  true  belief  known  he  should  be  destroyed. 
A  Greek  lady  present  confirmed  this,  saying  that  he 
would  be  torn  to  pieces — that  he  could  not  live  three 
days.  Another  young  man,  a  teacher,  said  that  he  owed 
everything  to  Dr.  King  and  to  that  Word  of  God  he  put 
in  his  hands.  Without  it  he  would  have  been  a  wild 
beast ;  that  it  had  been  his  comfort  in  trouble ;  that  he 
recommended  it  to  all  his  scholars,  so  that,  as  some  of 
them  were  now  quite  enlightened,  suspicions  of  heresy 
were  excited  with  regard  to  himself.  Another  said  that 
when,  twenty  years  before,  he  heard  of  Dr.  King's  school 
at  Tenos,  he  had  said,  "  Why  do  you  suffer  him  ?  why  do 
you  not  kill  him  .''"  and  that  he  would  himself  at  that 
time  have  killed  him,  but  now  he  considered  his  presence 
a  benediction." 

June  5,  1844.  "N.  M.  T.,  a  Hydriote,  42  years  old, 
called ;  said  he  had  formerly  been  in  my  service ;  that 
he  was  at  first  very  superstitious  and  opposed  to  us  ; 
wished  to  kill  us ;  that  he  led  on  men  to  attack  the 
schoolhouse  in  Syra.  But  on  reading  the  New  Testament 
his  eyes  were  opened,  and  now  he  wished  to  support  us." 

Once,  attending  the  funeral  of  one  of  the  students, 
the  father  said,  "  Ever  since  your  visit  to  him  a  few  days 
ago  he  talked  constantly  of  Christ ;  said  the  world  was 
worth  nothing.  When  told  to  pray  to  the  saints  to  help 
him,  he  said,  '  First  look  to  Christ.'  His  talk  was  all  of 
Christ." 


298  yOATAS  KING. 

July  30, 1834.  "  To-day  two  of  the  students  belonging 
to  the  third  class  in  the  gymnasium  called  and  told  me 
of  their  conversation  with  their  uncle,  a  priest,  who  asked 
them  if  I  made  the  sign  of  the  cross.  They  said,  *  He 
teaches  us  the  gospel  and  to  do  what  Christ  says,  and 
what  signifies  the  sign  of  the  cross  ?'  He  told  them  they 
must  pray  to  saints  and  worship  them ;  they  said  they 
did  not  find  anything  of  this  in  the  gospel,  but  simply 
that  they  must  worship  God.  He  said  the  saints  would 
tear  their  eyes  out  if  they  did  not ;  they  said,  if  Christ 
was  their  friend  they  did  not  fear,  and  that  if  the  saints 
would  tear  their  eyes  out,  they  were  not  saints,  but 
devils." 

March  18,  1849.  "Mr.  Whiting's  letter  from  Constan- 
tinople informed  me  of  the  hopeful  conversion  of  M.  M. 
and  others,  and  that  M.  M.'s  first  impressions  in  favor  of 
truth  were  made  on  his  mind  by  me  some  twenty-five 
years  ago." 

August  15,  1856.  "Three  young  men  called,  asking 
to  be  admitted  to  the  communion.  One  attributes  the 
change  in  his  feelings  to  reading  'The  Dairyman's  Daugh- 
ter,' which  I  gave  him  perhaps  a  fortnight  ago.  Another 
to  *Alleine's  Alarm,'  which  I  published  in  modern  Greek 
several  years  ago.  The  third  dates  his  conversion  seve- 
ral months  back." 

In  1859  there  appeared  in  London  a  book  called  "  In- 
cidents in  the  Life  of  an  Italian  :  Priest,  Soldier,  Refugee. 
By  Luigi  Bianchi,"  which  bears  testimony  to  the  blessing 
attending  one  of  Dr.  King's  various  efforts.  About  thirty 
pages  of  this  volume  are  given  to  an  account  of  Dr.  King's 


IRUIl'S  OF  LABOR.  299 

kindness  to  the  author  when  a  stranger  in  Athens,     He 
says  : 

"  Some  days  after  my  arrival,  Mr.  King,  a  missionary, 
called,  and  the  progress  of  the  acquaintance  clearly  de- 
monstrated the  benevolent  purpose  with  which  it  was 
sought.  His  questions  were  not  only  put  with  the  most 
delicate  discretion,  but  were  themselves  so  intelligent, 
that  I  became  much  interested.  My  obstinacy  only 
seemed  to  inspire  Mr.  King  with  fervor,  and  from  a  pious 
zeal  for  my  soul  he  began  to  prove  that  all  essentially 
Roman- catholic  doctrines  are  in  direct  opposition  to  the 
gospel.  He  strove  to  enlighten  me  with  double  earnest- 
ness when  he  became  aware  that  I  had  been  a  priest.  I 
knew  no  arguments  for  his  refutation.  I  defended  a 
cause  that  I  knew  to  be  lost,  from  the  inveterate  habit  of 
priestly  life,  which  teaches  a  man  that  he  must  inculcate 
certain  dogmas,  though  he  has  already  rejected  them. 
This  truly  Christian  teacher  would  not  leave  me  to  my 
blindness,  but  with  nobleness  of  mind,  softened  by  broth- 
erly love,  unveiled  to  my  view  doctrines  not  as  yet  un- 
derstood, without  allowing  my  pertinacity  to  discourage 
him.  He  led  me  at  last  to  doubt  myself ;  to  look  at  the 
truth  in  humility  of  spirit,  confiding  no  longer  in  myself, 
but  in  God.  Soon  I  began  to  perceive  that  salvation 
could  not  be  wrought  by  works,  but  only  by  a  lively  faith 
in  Him  who  had  already  saved  me.  Mr.  King  read  me 
many  passages  ;  he  watched  over  me  with  the  anxiety  of 
a  father  or  brother.  He  often  prayed  with  me.  The 
Lord  led  the  good  Mr.  King  to  me  in  Athens,  who,  be- 
sides inexpressible  and  much  more  important  spiritual 


300  yONAS  KING. 

benefits,  shared  with  me  from  his  own  large  heart  his 
temporal  good  things  also,  procuring  me  employment  as 
a  translator  at  a  generous  compensation,  thus  giving  me, 
like  a  true  gentleman,  substantial  assistance  without  hu- 
miliation." 

The  above  scattered  specimens  of  good  work  accom- 
plished, in  the  case  of  individuals  here  and  there,  give, 
after  all,  but  an  imperfect  idea  of  Dr.  King's  success  as  a 
missionary.  From  the  heavenly  heights  alone  can  a  sat- 
isfactory bird's-eye  view  be  obtained  of  the  life  of  any 
Christian.  There  we  may  see  plainly  the  difficulties  of 
the  way,  and  study  to  all  eternity  the  wondrous  grace 
that  out  of  the  very  weakness  of  the  instruments  used, 
reveals  the  more  strikingly  the  power  and  glory  of  Christ. 

The  church  accepts  in  theory  the  fact  that  one  soul 
is  of  more  value  than  the  whole  world,  but  seems  practi- 
cally to  feel  a  minister's  work  is  almost  in  vain  unless 
crowned  with  many  conversions.  God  judges  with  more 
"equal  eyes;"  nor  can  any  unprejudiced  person  look  at 
the  results  of  Dr.  King's  labors,  even  in  Europe  alone, 
without  being  satisfied  that  he  was  a  shaft  both  strong 
and  polished,  fit  for  the  Master's  use,  and  that  few  have 
been  privileged  to  do  so  much  as  he  for  the  honor  of  our 
Lord. 

The  history  of  Greece  is  not  yet  finished,  but  it  is 
even  now  conceded  that  the  labor  of  American  mission- 
aries there  has  not  been  fruitless.  In  1873,  Dr.  Rufus 
Anderson,  after  long  observation,  was  able  to  say  of  the 
Greek  government,  that  it  was  not  what  it  would  have 
been  had  not  so  much  good  seed  been  sown  in  that  coun- 


FRUITS  OF  LABOR.  301 

try.  "  And  the  same  may  be  said  of  the  social  state. 
Nor  were  the  same  ideas  prevalent  among  the  people  as 
to  the  authority  of  councils  and  of  the  ancient  fathers, 
and  the  authority  of  God's  Word  stood  higher  than  be- 
fore ;  nor  were  there  the  same  impressions  concerning 
Protestantism.  The  Word  of  God,  printed  in  the  spoken 
language,  was  in  very  many  of  the  habitations  of  the 
people." 

Of  Dr.  King  he  says :  "  He  was  evidently  designed 
by  Providence  to  be  a  reformer;  and  though  he  lived  not 
to  witness  anything  that  could  be  called  a  reformation 
among  the  Greek  people,  the  battle  he  fought,  through 
so  many  years,  with  the  bigotry  and  intolerance  of  the 
Greek  hierarchy,  will  be  held  in  perpetual  remembrance. 
A  reformation  has  begun,  and  Dr.  King,  more  than  any 
other  Protestant,  was  the  instrument  of  Providence  in 
bringing  it  about.  To  him  is  it  owing  preeminently  that 
the  Scriptures,  since  the  year  183 1,  have  been  so  exten- 
sively used  in  the  schools,  and  that  in  Greece  '  the  Word 
of  God  is  not  bound.'  It  is  not  forgotten  that  others  la- 
bored  with  him,  and  not  in  vain  ;  but  it  is  mainly  to  the 
preaching  of  Dr.  King,  during  his  protracted  residence 
in  Greece,  in  connection  with  his  persistent  and  trium- 
phant struggle  with  the  Greek  hierarchy,  that  we  owe, 
under  God,  the  visible  decline  there  of  prejudice  against 
evangelical  truth  and  religious  liberty." 


26 


302  JONAS  KING. 


CHAPTER    XX. 

PERSECUTIONS. 

Excommunications — Accusations  in  Newspapers  and  before  the 
Courts — "  Defence  of  Jonas  King  " — Conspiracies — Tempo- 
rary Exile — Power  of  the  American  Flag. 

Greece,  as  Dr.  King  himself  said  in  his  letter  to  Dr. 
Goodell,  was  a  difficult  field.  After  the  people  there  be- 
came free  from  Turkish  rule,  old  ambition  for  political 
power  in  Europe  was  stealthily  kept  up  by  Russian 
agency,  and  national  pride  was  aroused  against  the  influ- 
ence of  every  foreigner,  and  a  reaction  followed  the  gush 
of  intense  gratitude  at  first  felt  for  kindness  shown  du- 
ring the  time  of  their  struggle  for  liberty. 

Again,  the  Greek  church  is  in  some  respects  even 
more  exclusive  than  the  Papal  church.  It  claims  to  have 
the  only  true  apostolical  succession  and  right  baptism, 
Protestants,  Episcopal  or  Non-episcopal,  are  all  consid- 
ered unbaptized  heretics.  It  holds  to  transubstantiation, 
worshipping  the  Virgin  Mary,  baptismal  regeneration, 
and  the  power  of  ordinances  to  save  the  soul.  Excom- 
munication is  regarded  with  extreme  dread.  An  amusing 
instance  of  the  ignorance  of  the  common  people  in  re- 
gard to  such  an  edict  is  as  follows :  Early  in  Dr.  King's 
missionary  experience,  a  paper  of  excommunication 
against  him   had  been  read  one  Sunday  in  one  of  the 


PERSECUTIONS.  303 

Greek  churches.  Some  person  was  overheard  asking 
another  what  it  was  all  about.  No  doubt  the  word  "  Jo- 
nah "  had  caught  the  ear,  and  the  answer  was,  "  I  think 
it  was  an  excommunication  of  any  one  who  should  eat  of 
the  fish  that  swallowed  Jonah." 

Before  any  persecutions  of  Dr.  King  actually  com- 
menced, mutterings  of  a  coming  storm  had  long  been 
heard.  The  messenger  who  came  from  America  in  1828 
with  supplies  of  food  and  clothing  had  indeed  received  a 
grateful  welcome,  and  many  listened  to  his  words  with 
respect  through  the  years  succeeding.  But  as  time 
passed  on  it  is  certain  that  the  ecclesiastical  authorities 
became  alarmed. 

In  1835  the  bishop,  formerly  of  Talenti,  a  member  of 
the  holy  synod,  preached  for  several  weeks  against  the 
American  schools,  threatening  excommunication,  and 
saying,  "  The  curse  of  the  three  hundred  and  eighteen 
fathers  will  be  upon  all  who  shall  send  their  children  to 
them."  But  Dr.  King  was  still  able  to  say,  "  The  feel- 
ings of  the  people  generally,  I  think,  are  with  me ;  and 
the  Minister  of  the  Interior  said  to  me  some  time  since, 
*  Go  on  with  your  work  ;  it  is  good  ;  do  not  be  afraid.'  I 
had  told  him  what  I  teach  in  the  gymnasium,  and  that 
the  bishop  was  threatening  curses,  and  I  said  to  him,  '  If 
the  three  hundred  and  eighteen  fathers  were  in  heaven, 
I  presume  they  would  obey  Christ,  who  said,  "Curse 
not ;"  and  that  T,  in  teaching  His  gospel,  was  not  afraid 
of  curses  coming  upon  my  head  from  heaven.' " 

He  also  writes  :  "  The  work  in  which  I  profess  to  be 
engaged  is  the  Lord's,  and  not  mine ;  and  if  the  way  in 


304  yO.YAS  A'JA'G. 

which  I  thought  to  perform  it  is  not  the  way  he  chooses, 
I  hope  to  be  led  by  his  providence  clearly  to  perceive 
it." 

Dr.  King's  preaching  of  the  pure  doctrines  of  the 
cross  iu7isi  have  had  some  effect,  since  it  attracted  atten- 
tion from  both  synod  and  government.  The  secret  of 
the  opposition  aroused  on  the  part  of  the  priests  may 
have  been  that  "  their  craft  was  in  danger." 

Be  this  as  it  may,  the  fact  remains  that  "in  1844, 
being  accused  in  some  of  the  Greek  newspapers  in  Ath- 
ens of  reviling  the  images,  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  the  doc- 
trine of  transubstantiation,  he  replied  through  the  same 
papers,  giving  extracts  from  the  writings  of  Chrysostom, 
Basil,  Epiphanius,  and  others,  showing  that  his  opinions 
on  these  subjects  were  the  same  as  those  entertained  by 
some  of  the  most  distinguished  fathers  in  the  Oriental 
church;  and  in  1845  ^^  collected  these  accusations  and 
answers  and  published  them,  with  some  additions,  in  a 
small  book  in  Greek,  entitled  the  '  Defence  of  Jonas 
King.' "  This  book  contained,  for  instance,  the  follow- 
ing from  Epiphanius,  one  of  the  fathers  of  the  Eastern 
church  :  "  Let  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost 
be  worshipped  ;  Mary,  let  no  one  worship,"  and  being 
sent  to  the  most  prominent  men,  civil  and  ecclesiastical, 
in  Greece  and  Turkey,  produced  a  great  excitement 
through  these  countries  ;  and  in  August  of  the  same 
year,  1845,  "the  Greek  synod  at  Athens  issued  against 
him  what  was  called  in  the  public  papers  an  excommu- 
nication, and  such  as  was  considered  by  the  Jews  the 
highest  kind  of  excommunication,  namely:  not  an   ex- 


PERSECUTIONS.  305 

communication  from  a  particular  church,  but  from  the 
whole  community  ;  and  soon  after  a  similar  excommuni- 
cation was  hurled  against  him  by  the  so-called  '  Great 
Church'  of  the  Greeks  at  Constantinople.  These  ex- 
communications were  sent  to  churches  throughout  Greece 
and  Turkey;  and  in  one  of  the  churches  at  Athens  the 
little  book  was  burned  publicly  in  the  midst  of  anathe- 
mas and  execrations  against  the  writer  of  it.  A  prose- 
cution was  commenced  against  him  by  the  Greek  gov- 
ernment, at  the  instigation  of  the  Greek  synod,  and  in 
April,  1846,  he  was  brought  before  the  Areopagus,  the 
highest  court  in  Athens,  and  condemned  to  be  sent  to 
Syra,  to  be  tried  before  the  criminal  court  in  that  place, 
before  which  felons  of  the  lowest  order  are  tried." 

Dr.  King  in  these  official  papers  was  characterized  as 
a  "  hypocrite,  deceiver,  impostor,  impious,  abominable, 
and  a  vessel  of  Satan."  In  September,  about  one  hun- 
dred copies  of  this  book,  the  "Defence,"  which  he  had 
on  hand,  were  seized  by  the  government,  but  nine  hun- 
dred copies  were  already  abroad,  each  blazing  with  the 
light  of  truth.  Dr.  King  gives  a  characteristic  account 
of  his  examination  before  the  Areopagus. 

"  Question.  What  is  your  name  } 

"Answer.  Jonas  King. 

*'  Q.  Your  country  .-' 

"  A.  The  United  States  of  America. 

"  Q.  Of  what  city  .? 

"A.  Hawley,  a  country  town. 

"  Q.  What  is  your  age  .'' 

"A.  Fifty-three. 

2C* 


3o6  yONAS  KING. 

"  Q.  What  is  your  profession  ? 

"  A.  I  am  an  evangelist ;  that  is,  a  preacher  of  the 
word  of  God. 

"  Q.  What  is  your  religion  ? 

"  A.  What  God  teaches  in  his  Word ;  I  am  a  Chris- 
tian most  orthodox. 

"  Q.  Did  you  publish  this  book,  entitled  '  Jonas  King's 
Defence,  etc'  ? 

"A.  I  did,  and  distributed  it  here  and  elsewhere.  I 
gave  it  to  all  the  professors  in  the  University  and  to 
others. 

"The  judge  then  read  to  me  my  accusation  as  fol- 
lows :  '  You  are  accused  of  having  in  your  book  reviled 
the  mother  of  God,  the  holy  images,  the  liturgy  of  Chry- 
sostom  and  Basil,  the  seven  oecumenical  councils,  and 
the  transformation  of  the  bread  and  wine  into  the  body 
and  blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  the  fearful  mys- 
tery of  the  communion.' 

"  Q.  Have  you  any  defence  to  make  .■* 

"  A.  Those  things  in  my  book  with  regard  to  Mary, 
with  regard  to  transubstantiation,  and  with  regard  to 
images,  /did  not  say;  but  the  most  brilliant  luminaries 
of  the  Eastern  church,  St.  Epiphanius,  St.  Chrysostom, 
the  great  St..  Basil,  St.  Irenaeus,  Clemens,  and  Eusebius 
Pamphyli  say  them. 

"  Q.  Have  you  anything  to  add  ? 

"A.  Nothing. 

"  I  was  then  directed  to  subscribe  my  name  to  the 
examination,  which  I  did,  and  went  away." 

The  fact  that  Dr.  King  was  summoned  to  appear, 


PERSECUTIONS.  307 

July  22,  1846,  before  the  criminal  court  at  Syra,  proved 
that  the  offences  against  him  were  declared  criminal  in 
law.  The  penalty  was  imprisonment.  An  inflammatory 
pamphlet,  secretly  printed,  was  circulated  in  advance 
among  judges,  jurors,  and  the  populace,  with  the  avowed 
sanction  of  a  high  priest.  Great  excitement  followed. 
The  governor  of  the  island,  Syra,  "declared  that  he 
should  not  be  able  to  protect  him,  and .  all  Dr.  King's 
lawyers  whom  he  had  employed,  five  in  number,  advised 
him  not  to  set  his  foot  on  shore,  but  to  return  to  Athens 
in  the  same  steamer  (Austrian)  in  which  he  came.  This 
advice  he  followed,  but  was  insulted  on  the  way  by 
Greeks  who  were  on  board  with  him,  and  even  his  life 
was  seriously  threatened.  Towards  evening  the  same 
day  he  was  back  again  in  Athens,  and  here  learned  from 
a  credible  source  that  there  was  a  conspiracy  of  fifty  per- 
sons to  take  his  life.  This  was  communicated  to  his  wife 
by  a  Greek  female,  who  was  friendly  to  her  and  did  not 
wish  to  see  her  a  widow  ;  and  so  his  life  was  preserved, 
but  he  was  obliged  for  some  time  to  remain  in  his  house." 
There  were  threats  made  of  stoning  him  should  he  ap- 
pear abroad,  but  the  Lord  stirred  up  the  minds  of  some 
persons  connected  with  the  police  to  offer  to  defend  him 
in  case  of  need. 

"  By  the  more  intelligent  in  the  community,  whether 
native  or  foreign,  and  by  several  of  the  ablest  journals, 
the  proceedings  of  the  court  were  strongly  condemned. 
Twelve  Greek  lawyers,  several  of  whom  had  held  the 
highest  offices  in  Greece,  and  were  among  the  most  dis- 
tinguished of  their  profession,  signed  their  names  to  a 


3o8  JONAS  KING. 

letter  declaring  their  entire  dissent  from  its  proceed- 
ings." 

In  1847  he  was  again  cited  to  appear  before  the  crim- 
inal court  in  Syra.  On  receiving  this  citation  he  went  to 
the  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs,  and  remonstrated,  teUing 
him  that  he  might  as  well  send  him  to  the  guillotine  as 
to  send  him  to  Syra.  He  also  went  with  his  lawyers  to 
the  Minister  of  Justice  and  made  a  verbal  remonstrance 
against  being  sent  to  Syra,  where  his  life  would  be  in 
jeopardy,  instead  of  being  tried  at  Athens,  where  the 
offence,  if  any,  had  been  committed. 

The  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs  being  the  friend  of 
Dr.  King,  and  the  Minister  of  Justice  seeing  the  rea- 
sonableness of  his  demand,  the  citation  was  recalled. 

Soon  after  this,  in  July,  1847,  there  appeared  in  one 
of  the  first  Greek  newspapers  in  Athens,  certain  articles, 
called  "  The  Orgies  of  King,"  and  signed  by  a  man 
named  "  Konstantine  Simonides,"  which  produced  such 
an  excitement  against  Dr.  King  that  the  government 
was  obliged  to  send  soldiers  to  guard  his  house ;  and  he 
was  at  length  induced  by  the  advice  of  the  king  and  his 
ministers,  amounting  to  little  less  than  an  order,  to  leave 
the  country  for  a  while  till  the  excitement  should  abate  ; 
and  so  he  fled  to  Geneva  in  Switzerland,  where  he  re- 
mained for  a  time,  then  visited  Sardinia,  Tuscany,  Rome, 
Naples,  Sicily  and  Malta. 

Soon  after  his  departure  from  Athens,  an  order  for  his 
imprisonment  was  issued  by  one  of  the  king's  attorneys 
at  Athens,  and  a  new  prosecution  commenced  on  the 
accusation  of  proselytism    brought    against   him  in  the 


PERSECUTIONS.  309 

"  Orgies,"  and  a  great  number  of  persons,  perhaps  two 
hundred,  as  he  was  informed,  were  examined  by  the  king's 
attorney  at  the  criminal  court,  in  order  to  find  evidence 
to  establish  the  charge. 

The  "  Orgies  "  purported  to  be  a  description  by  an 
eye-witness  of  shameless  scenes  and  ceremonies,  such  as 
the  very  name  suggests,  and  carried  on  at  night  in  Dr. 
King's  house,  under  the  guise  of  religious  observances. 
Of  Simonides  it  should  be  said,  he  seems  to  have  been 
an  unprincipled  adventurer,  used  as  a  tool  by  the  Arch- 
deacon Leontius  E.  of  Constantinople,  the  real  author  of 
the  "  Orgies."  Simonides  himself  was  set  aside  as  a  wit- 
ness in  one  of  the  courts,  as  being  "a  servant  dismissed 
by  his  master  for  stealing."  In  1849  this  same  man 
brought  forward  some  parchments  which  he  said  he  had 
found  in  a  monastery,  and  which  he  tried  to  palm  off  as 
writings  of  Homer,  Hesiod,  and  Anacreon,  more  ancient 
than  any  others  extant.  These  manuscripts  attracted 
much  attention.  A  committee  of  Greek  scholars  was 
appointed  to  examine  them.  This  committee  pronounced 
them  to  be  forgeries,  executed  with  great  skill.  Although 
masterpieces  of  calligraphy,  the  writer  had  failed,  in 
some  cases,  to  preserve  the  distinctive  spelling  or  the 
form  of  letters  peculiar  to  each  epoch,  and  thus  the 
deception  was  discovered.  Thus  too,  did  God  still  fur- 
ther vindicate  the  cause  of  Dr.  King.  The  testimony  of 
a  man,  proved  to  be  a  forger  of  ancient  writings,  could 
not  be  received  concerning  modern  events. 

Dr.  King's  enforced  absence  from  home  gave  him 
opportunity  to  witness  for  Jesus  in   Italy  and  Rome  it- 


310  yONAS  KING. 

self;  so  that  the  truth  was  the  "more  abundantly  scat- 
tered abroad."  His  name  was  already  known  ;  for  this 
persecution,  though  a  "  thing  done  in  a  corner  "  of  Eu- 
rope, could  not  be  hid,  and  attention  everywhere  was 
called  to  it. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  W.  Chester  of  New  York,  Dr. 
Riggs  and  the  Count  de  Gasparin  all  wrote,  suggesting  a 
visit  to  America :  but  this  idea,  though  a  tempting  one, 
was  after  a  few  months  abandoned. 

In  1848,  in  consequence  of  the  great  revolution  in 
France,  the  ministry  at  Athens  was  changed,  and  the 
new  Minister  of  the  Interior  being  friendly  to  Dr.  King 
he  ventured  to  return  to  Athens,  where  he  arrived  from 
Malta  in  June,  and  again  resumed  his  missionary  labors. 
Not  wishing  that  there  should  be  any  appearance  of  his 
being  in  Athens  in  a  clandestine  way,  he  called  on  the 
ministers  of  state,  and  was  received  by  them  very  cordial- 
ly. By  advice  of  friends  however,  he  did  not  hold  pub- 
lic services  until  September. 

March,  185 1,  Dr.  King  was  appointed  United  States 
consular  agent.  The  hand  of  God  appears  in  this,  just 
in  time  of  need  ;  for  popular  excitement  had  again  been 
aroused  in  regard  to  the  preaching  of  pure  Bible  doc- 
trines. 

Saturday,  March  22,  the  journal  has  this  simple  en- 
try :  "  Opened  a  tin-box,  which  was  sealed,  and  took  out 
the  American  flag,  which  at  the  request  of  Mr.  Dioma- 
tari,  consul,  had  been  sent  from  Washington  for  the 
American  Consulate  at  Athens." 

The  same  evening  Dr.  Kins:  learned  that  some  mem- 


PERSECUTIONS.  3 1 1 

bers  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  perhaps  even  its 
president  or  vice-president,  would  probably  attend  his 
service  the  next  day,  that  they  might  judge  themselves 
as  to  his  teachings ;  but  he  told  his  informant  that 
would  make  no  difference,  his  sermon  was  prepared  and 
he  should  make  no  changes. 

The  next  morning,  Sunday,  he  says,  "  I  felt  calm, 
and  committing  all  my  concerns  for  timiC  and  eternity 
into  the  hands  of  my  Creator,  feeling  that  if  my  life 
should  be  taken,  I  should  go  to  be  with  Christ  which  is 
better  than  to  be  here,  I  went  down  to  my  service.  On 
entering  the  room  I  found  it  crowded  to  overflowing. 
More  than  a  hundred,  perhaps  a  hundred  and  fifty,  were 
present.  All  arose.  I  bowed  to  them  and  took  my  seat 
as  usual.  At  my  right  hand,  and  close  to  me,  I  observed 
a  soldier  with  a  short  sword,  and  the  thought  entered 
my  mind  for  a  moment,  that  perhaps  he  had  come  to  do 
me  harm.  Near  him  was  a  secretary  from  the  House  of 
Representatives.  In  the  room  there  was  no  place  for 
the  females,  not  even  for  my  wife."  After  two  or  three 
minutes.  Dr.  King  arose,  offered  prayer  and  went  on 
with  the  usual  services.  As  soon  as  the  benediction 
was  pronounced,  a  student  in  the  university,  who  was  a 
nephew  of  the  late  patriarch  of  Constantinople,  came  for- 
ward, and  said  he  wished  to  make  one  remark.  Dr. 
King  answered,  "If  it  is  with  regard  to  my  discourse 
to-day,  and  nothing  that  will  bring  on  a  discussion,  well ; 
if  not,  I  do  not  wish  it."  "  He  said,  '  Yes,  with  regard  to 
what  was  said  to-day,'  and  began  by  saying,  that  I  had 
remarked  that  Cain  killed  Abel,  because  his  own  works 


312  yOiVAS  KING. 

were  evil,  and  his  brother's  righteous ;  and  that  all  that 
persecute  and  kill  their  brethren  because  they  believe  in 
Christ  and  are  good  people,  are  actuated  by  the  same 
spirit  by  which  Cain  was  actuated ;  that  in  this  remark 
I  had  intimated  that  they  were  such  because  they  perse- 
cute me. 

"  Here  I  interrupted  him  and  said,  '  I  spoke  of  no 
one  in  particular,  but  in  general  ;  but  if  what  I  had  said 
fitted  any  one  here,  of  course  he  might  receive  it.' 

"  He  then  began  to  speak  of  what  I  had  said  on  other 
Sundays  contrary  to  the  dogmas  of  the  Holy  Eastern 
Apostolical  Church  ;  but  I  again  interrupted  him,  saying, 
that  if  his  remarks  were  not  confined  to  my  discourse  this 
day,  I  did  not  wish  them :  that  if  he  wished,  I  would  ap- 
point some  other  day  when  all  might  come,  and  hear 
what  he  had  to  say. 

"  At  this,  different  voices  were  heard  saying,  '  Now, 
now,  let  him  speak !  We  wish  it  now !  We  are  all  con- 
cerned in  this  business ;  it  is  an  affair  of  religion,'  etc., 
and  many  became  somewhat  noisy. 

"  At  this  juncture  my  wife  made  her  way  through  the 
crowd  to  the  table  at  which  I  was  standing,  and  told  the 
priest,  or  deacon,  or  monk,  that  she  would  not  have  him 
talking  here  in  this  manner;  that  this  was  our  house, 
and  not  a  theatre  or  public  place  in  which  he  could  take 
such  liberty.  I  finally  thought  it  would  be  best,  per- 
haps, to  let  him  speak,  and  said  so  to  my  wife ;  but  she 
said  *  No  ;'  and  then  I  said  to  the  audience  that  as  my  wife 
did  not  wish  it  he  must  desist ;  that  this  was  a  private 
house,  and  not  only  so,  but  the  Consulate  of  the  United 


PERSECUTIONS.  313 

States.  Then  one  N.  G.  rather  insulted  my  wife,  and 
told  her  that  the  woman  did  not  rule ;  and  she  said  to 
him  that  he  must  go  somewhere  else  to  talk  ;  and  he  said, 
'  Where  ?'  and  she  said,  '  Where  you  like ;'  and  he  said, 
'  To  the  temple  of  Olympian  Jupiter,'  and  then  pressed 
along  through  the  crowd  as  if  to  go  out,  crying,  '  Let  us 
go  !  let  us  go  !'  But  seeing  not  many  ready  to  go  he  re- 
turned, and  now  the  vociferation  of  those  who  were  for 
and  against  became  so  great  that  the  voice  of  my  wife 
was  drowned,  and  some  of  her  female  friends  were  fright- 
ened. Some  beckoned  to  give  me  a  beating,  some  beck- 
oned to  me  to  retire,  and  the  tumult  at  last  became  so 
great,  that  telling  them  again  that  this  was  not  only  my 
private  house,  but  the  Consulate  of  the  United  States,  I 
went  up  stairs  and  took  the  United  States  flag  and  gave 
it  to  my  man  Constantine,  with  whose  aid  I  had  it  un- 
furled at  the  upper  door  of  my  house,  and  at  the  sight 
of  this  the  crowd  immediately  dispersed. 

"  It  seemed  to  me  to  be  by  a  peculiar  providence  that 
the  flag  arrived  just  at  this  time,  and  that  I  had  been  led 
to  take  it  out  of  the  case  the  day  previous,  so  that  it  was 
in  readiness. 

"  I  noticed  another  peculiar  providence.  The  soldier 
who  sat  at  my  right-hand  armed  with  a  short  sword, 
called  on  me  afterwards,  with  Mr.  Katachana,  and  told 
me  that  two  or  three  days  since  he  had  heard  that  some 
fifteen  persons  were  coming  to  my  service,  with  inten- 
tions of  using  personal  violence,  and  that  he  and  another 
took  a  seat  close  by  me,  for  my  defence,  but  that  many 
motions  were  made  that  they  should  begin  to  beat  me." 

Jonas  King.  O"^ 


314  yONAS  KING. 

To  the  credit  of  the  Greek  police,  let  it  be  said,  that 
when  they  heard  of  the  disturbance,  they  came  and  took 
the  names  of  two  or  three  of  the  ringleaders  ;  and  a 
military  officer  also  called,  and  expressed  regret  at  what 
had  taken  place. 

Dr.  King  adds  :  "  During  all  this  time  I  felt  perfectly 
tranquil,  and  should  not  have  left  the  room,  were  it  not 
that  others  beckoned  for  me  to  leave,  and  that  I  saw  no 
other  way  to  still  the  tumult  but  to  go  up  and  unfurl  the 
American  flag.  Blessed  be  God,  who  has  preserved  me 
and  given  me  such  perfect  peace  of  mind  and  joy  in  my 
work." 

The  effect  of  Dr.  King's  own  glowing  description  of 
the  power  of  the  "  Stars  and  Stripes "  to  protect  an 
American  citizen,  cannot  be  reproduced  here.  During 
his  last  visit  to  America,  as  he  told  the  story  before  the 
United  States  Senate,  one  may  well  imagine  the  thrill 
felt  all  through  the  audience.  Every  one,  forgetting  him- 
self for  a  moment  in  thoughts  of  what  our  country's  flag 
is  everywhere  able  to  do,  gave  loud  vent  to  loyal  enthu- 
siasm. 

But  to  return  to  Greece.  On  the  Monday  following 
the  above  demonstrations.  Dr.  King,  by  advice  of  his 
friends,  sent  to  the  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs  a  state- 
ment of  the  disturbance. 

Petitions  were  soon  made  against  him  to  the  Greek 
synod,  also  to  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives, 
signed  by  forty  or  fifty  names,  and  a  new  prosecution  at 
law  was  commenced  against  him  ;  and  after  the  examina- 
tion of  many  witnesses,  an  indictment  was  made  out 


PERSE  C  UTIONS.  3 1 5 

against  him,  "for  reviling  the  God  of  the  universe  and 
the  Greek  rehgion." 

In  March,  1852,  he  was  brought  to  trial,  and  "con- 
demned to  fifteen  days'  imprisonment,  to  pay  the  cost  of 
the  court,  and  then  to  be  exiled  from  the  country."  In 
prison  he  appealed  from  this  decision  to  the  Areopagus, 
the  highest  court  in  Greece,  which  confirmed  the  sen- 
tence in  all  respects,  except  that  the  term  of  imprison- 
ment was  reduced  from  fifteen  days  to  fourteen.  On 
receiving  the  decision  of  the  Areopagus,  he  sent  to  the 
Greek  government  a  protest  in  the  name  of  the  United 
States  government,  against  the  unjust  decision  of  the 
courts,  and  against  the  execution  of  it.  This  brought 
the  Greek  government  to  a  stand,  and  the  sentence  of 
exile  was  not  executed,  though  the  Minister  of  the  Inte- 
rior, as  Dr.  King  was  told,  declared  that  it  should  be ; 
and  Dr.  King,  in  expectation  of  this,  had  all  his  effects 
packed  ready  for  departure. 

In  the  summer  of  1852,  the  Hon.  George  P.  Marsh, 
minister  resident  at  Constantinople,  came  to  Greece,  by 
order  of  the  United  States  government,  "  to  investigate 
the  whole  affair  of  Dr.  King's  trial  and  condemnation," 
and  also  the  affair  of  a  lot  of  land,  of  which  Dr.  King 
had  been  deprived  the  free  use  for  about  twenty  years 
by  the  Greek  government,  and  to  make  report  to  the 
United  States  government  relative  to  both  cases.  This 
investigation  he  made  in  the  most  splendid  manner,  and 
as  very  few  men  would  have  been  capable  of  doing,  and 
that  on  account  of  his  knowledge  of  various  languages, 
especially  Greek,  German,  and  French  ;  and  he  trusted 


3i6  yONAS  KING. 

to  no  interpreter,  but  examined  all  the  documents  him- 
self, as  well  as  the  laws  which  were  intended  to  be  ap- 
plied to  Dr.  King.  Having  done  this,  he  went  to  Italy 
and  made  his  report  in  the  case  to  the  United  States 
government, 'and  in  1853,  by  the  order  of  that  govern- 
ment, returned  to  Athens,  entered  into  correspondence 
with  the  Greek  government  with  regard  to  the  settle- 
ment of  the  case ;  but  as  his  presence  was  required  at 
Constantinople,  he  went  away  without  bringing  the  ne- 
gotiations to  a  close. 

In  March,  1854,  the  king  of  Greece,  at  the  proposi- 
tion of  Pellicas,  the  Minister  of  Justice,  who  was  one  of 
the  distinguished  lawyers  who  pleaded  Dr.  King's  cause 
before  the  courts  of  justice  which  condemned  him,  issued 
an  order,  a  copy  of  which  was  communicated  to  him  by 
the  criminal  courts,  freeing  him  from  the  penalty  of  ex- 
ile imposed  upon  him  by  that  court,  and  confirmed  by 
the  Areopagus  in  1852. 

So  he  remained  in  Greece  and  continued  his  labors 
there,  in  the  same  way  as  previous  to  his  prosecutions 
and  condemnation. 

The  above  account  is  necessarily  much  condensed. 
The  full  record  is  on  file  at  the  rooms  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F. 
M.,  and  no  doubt  open  to  examination. 

The  whole  history  is  to  the  honor  of  our  country,  and 
to  that  of  the  noble  men  called  of  God  just  then  to  guide 
our  ship  of  state — Daniel  Webster,  Edward  Everett,  Ben- 
jamin F.  Butler,  Secretary  Marcy,  President  Fillmore, 
Geo.  P.  Marsh,  and  Commodores  Porter  and  Stringham, 
and  others.     On  one  occasion,  Commodore   Stringham 


PERSECUTIONS.  3 1 1 

sending  for  Dr.  King  to  take  tea  on  the  "  Cumberland," 
ordered  a  salute  of  nine  guns,  to  give  loud  testimony  of 
how  the  persecuted  American  missionary  was  regarded 
by  his  own  countrymen. 

The  real  point  at  issue  all  through  the  contest  be- 
tween Dr.  King  and  the  Greek  hierarchy,  was  freedom  to 
worship  God.  A  precedent  has  been  established  not 
soon  to  be  forgotten,  and  to  God  be  all  the  glory. 


27* 


3i8  JONAS  KING, 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

TOURS,   TRAVELS,  AND  EVANGELICAL  ALLI- 
ANCE. 

Corinth — Smyrna — Thebes — Experience  with  Robbers — Constan- 
tinople— Pesth — Maria  Dorothea,  Archduchess  of  Austria — 
Jewish  Converts — Vienna — Baron  de  Rothschild — Munich — 
Reiche  Kapelle — Paris — Geneva — Zurich — Italy — Rome — Sici- 
ly— Malta — Evangelical  Alliance  at  Berlin — King  of  Prussia — ■ 
Berlin. 

The  tours,  longer  or  shorter,  which,  undertaken  in 
the  prosecution  of  family  and  missionary  duties,  or  ren- 
dered necessary  by  persecution,  varied  Dr.  King's  life 
in  Greece,  always  afforded  him  many  opportunities  for 
preaching  the  truth,  besides  proving  sources  of  rest  and 
refreshment  to  himself.  Near  Corinth,  on  one  occasion, 
he  writes,  "On  seeing  some  persons  sitting  by  the  side 
of  a  hut,  I  asked  them  if  they  had  no  school  in  the  place. 
They  said,  '  Neither  school  nor  priest.'  *  What,  have  you 
no  priest.'''  'No.'  'Well,  then,'  said  I,  'after  I  have 
taken  something  to  eat,  come  to  the  place  where  I  am 
staying,  and  I  will  read  to  you  from  the  words  of  our 
Saviour.'  In  the  course  of  an  hour  many  assembled, 
men,  women,  and  children,  and  I  took  the  Scriptures, 
arose,  and  began  to  read  from  Christ's  Sermon  on  the 
Mount,  and  to  expound.  All  listened  with  the  greatest 
attention.  Mr.  Riggs  also  made  remarks,  and  when  I 
proposed  to  unite  in  prayer,  several  voices  responded, 


TO  URS  AND  TRA  VELS.  3 1 9 

'  Yes,  yes.'  So  I  offered  a  prayer  with  them,  and  gave 
the  benediction.  It  did  not  occur  to  me  at  the  time  that 
it  was  the  first  Monday  of  the  month,  and  the  hour  of 
prayer  for  many  who  love  Zion." 

Going  to  Syria  in  1834,  he  says,  "There  were  about 
fifty  passengers  on  board.  Read  the  Scriptures  with 
them,  and  conversed  much  on  a  variety  of  rehgious  sub- 
jects." 

In  March,  1836,  Dr.  King,  taking  his  eldest  daughter 
to  Smyrna,  on  her  way  to  America,  met  ten  or  more  min- 
isterial brethren  who  were  holding  meetings  there  for 
prayer  and  conference.  It  is  only  necessary  to  say  that 
Messrs.  Bird,  Goodell,  and  Temple,  were  of  the  number- 
to  prove  how  much  all  must  have  enjoyed  such  an  inter- 
view. A  sincere  vote  of  thanks  was  passed  to  Mr.  Van 
Lennep  of  Smyrna  for  his  numberless  attentions,  not  to 
those  present  alone,  but  to  all  the  missionaries  about  the 
Mediterranean  and  in  the  East.  It  is  but  just  to  make 
note  of  this.  The  Lord  has  work  for  all  his  children. 
The  Christian  merchant  as  well  as  the  preacher  can  do 
much  in  his  own  line  to  promote  the  cause  of  Christ  on 
the  eartli. 

A  gathering  of  the  missionaries  was  held  again  at 
Smyrna,  in  October,  1837,  when  Drs.  Eli  Smith,  Dwight, 
Riggs,  Benjamin,  Calhoun,  Messrs.  Adjer  and  Hallock,  and 
Miss  Danforth,  still  further  swelled  the  number  present. 
After  the  convention  had  closed,  Dr.  King,  remaining  to 
help  settle  up  the  estate  of  his  father-in-law,  who  had  died 
recently,  preached  in  the  Dutch  church.  A  few  days  after, 
he  received  warning  from  the  bishops,  through  the  Uni- 


320  yONAS  KING. 

ted  States  consul,  that  he  could  not  preach  again  in 
Smyrna,  except  at  the  peril  of  his  life,  for  there  was  great 
indignation  against  him.  He  was  particularly  struck  by 
this,  for  his  text  had  been  Acts  3:4:  "  Being  grieved  that 
they  taught  the  people,  and  preached  through  Jesus  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead."  The  eighteenth  verse  reads, 
"And  they  called  them  and  commanded  them  not  to 
speak  at  all,  nor  teach  in  the  name  of  Jesus."  The  con- 
sul had  been  told  that  Dr.  King  called  on  Turks,  Jews, 
and  Greeks  to  renounce  their  religion  ;  but  Dr.  King 
told  him  this  was  not  so,  but  that  he  had  prayed  for 
them  all,  and  warned  them  to*examine  their  faith  by  the 
Word  of  God.  The  Patriarch  had  issued  a  strong  letter 
just  before  this  time  against  the  Bible,  and  Dr.  King 
thought  it  only  right  to  preach  in  this  manner.  His  busi- 
ness in  Smyrna  was  soon  closed  satisfactorily,  so  that  he 
returned  to  Athens,  and  of  course  there  was  no  further 
difficulty. 

In  1838,  on  his  way  to  another  conference  of  mis- 
sionaries, we  find  Dr.  King  stopping  to  comfort  some 
wretched  Sciotes  by  reading  from  the  book  of  Job. 

At  Thalamic,  a  soldier  who  had  once  received  books 
from  him  at  Athens,  took  much  pleasure  in  showing  him 
around  this  supposed  birthplace  of  the  celebrated  Helen. 

In  1839,  being  in  Thebes,  the  chief  officer  of  police 
called  and  reminded  Dr.  King  that  he  was  formerly  a 
scholar  in  his  gymnasium,  and  said  he  was  indebted  to 
him  for  all  he  knew.  This  led  to  Dr.  King's  being  treat- 
ed there  with  great  attention. 

From  the  highest  peak  of  Mount  Parnassus  Dr.  King 


TOURS  AND  TRAVELS.  321 

counted  eight  or  ten  other  heights.  Each  Muse  could  thus 
have  one  to  herself  without  interference  from  her  sisters. 
At  the  Castilian  fount  Dr.  King  not  only  drank  deeply  a. 
himself,  but  his  groom  talked  of  watering  the  horse  also, 
until  deterred  by  the  laughter  his  master  could  not 
repress. 

The  way  to  Chalcis  was  infested  with  robbers.  Still, 
Dr.  King  deciding  to  keep  on  his  journey,  the  governor 
furnished  him  with  a  guard  of  soldiers.  To  one  of  the 
officers  Dr.  King  had  once  given  a  trifle  when  he  was  in 
want,  and  this  officer  ordered  one  of  his  men  to  accom- 
pany him  as  far  as  Dadi.  To  him  and  another  soldier  of 
the  phalanx  Dr.  King  felt  that,  under  God,  he  owed  his 
subsequent  safe  journey,  and  in  connection  with  this  fact 
was  reminded  of  the  text,  "  Cast  thy  bread  upon  the  wa- 
ters," etc.  It  turned  out  that  these  very  men  were  con- 
nected with  the  robbers,  but  their  honor  was  pledged  to 
defend  Dr.  King.  One  of  these  men  confided  to  him  that 
the  members  of  the  band  were  sworn  to  each  other,  that 
they  have  their  own  laws,  and  that  they  generally  conse- 
crate a  part  of  their  gains  to  some  church  or  some  saint. 
For  instance,  if  there  were  ten  robbers,  they  would  make 
eleven  shares,  of  which  one  was  to  be  the  Virgin  Mary's, 
and  this  they  were  very  careful  to  pay  over;  that  the 
robbers  with  whom  he  was  associated  generally  had  the 
Panagia  of  Tenos  as  a  partner,  and  that  when  they  went 
out  to  rob,  with  her  as  a  partner,  they  were  always  suc- 
cessful. This  man  also  said  that,  by  mistake,  he  and 
another  had  once  killed  a  poor  man  having  a  wife  and  six 
children,  instead  of  a  rich  man  expected  to  pass  on  the 


322  yONAS  KING. 

road,  and  in  the  poor  man's  pocket  they  had  found  six- 
teen piastres  only.  He  said  he  had  repented  of  this  a 
hundred  times,  and  for  ten  years  would  not  partake  of 
the  Lord's  Supper.  Dr.  King  talked  to  him  very  plainly, 
telling  him  to  get  a  New  Testament,  and  learn  there 
what  he  must  do  in  order  to  be  saved.  The  man  an- 
swered that  if  anything  would  do  Greece  good  it  was  the 
gospel ;  that  a  soldier  at  Larnica  had  a  New  Testament, 
and  was  always  reading  it,  and  that  it  had  kept  him  from 
much  wickedness  ;  that  he  himself  had  been  much  affect- 
ed by  reading  a  little  book  about  a  man  that  was  sold, 
and  put  in  prison,  and  interpreted  some  dreams,  and  he 
would  give  almost  anything  for  a  copy  of  it. 

The  impression  made  by  the  above  journey  was  that 
Greece  at  that  time  was  desolate  and  poor.  One  could 
ride  for  hours  without  seeing  a  single  house  or  person. 
A  great  desire  existed  in  the  villages  for  education. 
Books  wei?e  already  exerting  a  very  salutary  influence. 

In  1843,  on  account  of  ill-health,  Dr.  King  made  a 
journey  to  Smyrna  and  Constantinople,  and  thence  over 
the  Black  Sea  and  up  the  Danube,  and  visited  Hungary, 
Austria,  Bavaria,  Switzerland,  France,  and  Italy,  and 
returned  to  Athens  in  September  of  the  same  year. 

At  Constantinople  games  in  honor  of  Easter  were 
being  celebrated  over  the  graves  in  the  burying-ground. 
The  sultan's  procession  in  honor  of  Mohammed's  birth- 
day, with  the  carriages  for  the.  women  drawn  by  oxen, 
the  sultan's  dwarf,  and  the  barbaric  splendor,  was  a  display 
of  this  world's  pomp  not  often  to  be  seen.  But  it  was  a 
richer  treat  to  meet  at  Dr.  Goodell's  house  some  of  the 


TOURS  AND  TRAVELS.  323 

true  aristocracy  of  earth,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Perkins,  Miss 
Fidelia  Fiske,  Miss  Catherine  Myers,  Drs.  Eli  Smith, 
Dwight,  Schauffler,  and  Hamlin,  and  Rev.  Messrs.  Bliss 
and  David  Stoddard.  Mar  Yohannan  also  was  present, 
on  his  way  back  to  Persia  from  the  United  States. 

At  Pesth,  Dr.  King  received  a  hearty  welcome  from 
Messrs.  Wingate  and  Smith,  Scotch  missionaries,  who 
took  him  to  their  own  lodgings.  Having  a  letter  of  in- 
troduction from  Mr.  Schauffler  to  her  imperial  highness 
Maria  Dorothea,  Archduchess  of  Austria,  he  called  upon 
her  by  appointment,  and  found  her  indeed  a  "nursing 
mother"  to  the  cause  of  evangelical  religion.  "  Con- 
versed about  an  hour  and  a  half  on  the  great  things  of 
the  kingdom  of  Christ.  While  with  her,  her  little  son 
came  in,  ten  or  eleven  years  of  age,  and  I  spoke  to  him 
on  the  subject  of  religion.  I  spoke  in  French,  and  the 
archduchess  translated  to  him  in  German,  as  he  knew 
but  little  French.  I  said  about  as  follows  :  *  If  one  is  the 
son  of  a  king  or  emperor,  he  is  thought  to  be  happy,  be- 
cause he  is  heir  to  a  throne  or  to  a  piece  of  earth  which 
is  called  a  kingdom  ;  but  when  one  is  born  of  God  he  is 
an  heir  of  heaven,  a  joint  heir  with  Christ  to  an  inherit- 
ance which  fadeth  not  away.  A  crown,  a  sceptre,  riches, 
honors,  a  kingdom,  cannot  alleviate  one  pain  of  the  body, 
not  even  of  a  tooth  ;  but  the  love  of  Christ  can  alleviate 
even  the  pains  of  death.  My  father  was  not  a  king,  but 
he  taught  me  in  my  childhood  to  read  God's  holy  Word, 
and  I  owe  everything  to  this.  It  taught  me  what  was 
better  than  all  the  crowns,  sceptres,  and  kingdoms  of  the 
whole  world.     Come  to  Christ,  and  you  will  be  happy; 


324  yONAS  KING. 

live  for  Christ  while  you  live,  and  you  will  be  happy  for 
ever.'  The  duchess  thanked  me  for  what  I  had  said,  and 
brought  out  her  album,  and  wished  me  to  write  something 
in  it  with  my  name.  So  I  wrote  the  forty-second  verse 
of  the  tenth  chapter  of  Luke, '  One  thing  is  needful,'  etc. 
Her  little  daughter  also  came  in.  Her  name  is  Maria. 
I  said  only  a  word  or  two  to  her,  and  mentioned  to  the 
archduchess  that  I  came  from  Constantinople  to  Kus- 
tandy  in  the  steamer  which  bears  her  name,  and  in  which 
I  went  with  my  daughter  Mary  to  Smyrna  seven  years 
ago,  when  I  sent  her  to  America.  At  this  she  seemed 
delighted,  and  said,  *  The  day  it  was  launched  was  my 
birthday,  and  I  prayed  to  God  that  many  missionaries 
might  be  conveyed  in  that  boat.' 

"  She  asked  me  if  I  was  acquainted  with  the  Countess 
de  St.  Aulaire ;  spoke  of  her  in  the  highest  terms,  and 
said  she  should  write  to  her  that  she  had  seen  me.  When 
I  got  up  to  come  away,  I  said,  *  I  am  happy  to  have  had 
the  pleasure  of  seeing  you.'  She  replied,  '  It  is  a  friend- 
ship formed  for  life.' 

"  My  heart  was  much  affected  by  this  visit  and  seeing 
her  so  devoted  to  the  Saviour.  From  the  palace  had  a 
beautiful  view  of  the  city  of  Pesth,  which  is  the  capital 
of  Hungary,  and  contains  about  a  hundred  thousand 
inhabitants.  On  my  way  back  I  learned  from  Messrs. 
Wingate  and  Smith  that  the  establishment  of  their  mis- 
sion was  in  consequence  of  Dr.  Keith's  having  been  de- 
tained here  by  illness.  The  archduchess,  in  consequence 
of  a  dream,  was  led  to  seek  him  out,  and  to  administer 
aid  to  him  with  her  own  hand,  and  in  return  received 


2 V  URS  AND  TRA  VELS.  5  2  5 

spiritual  comfort  with  regard  to  the  loss  of  a  beloved 
child.  Dr.  Keith  told  her  she  was  violating  the  eighth 
commandment  by  wishing  to  take  from  God  what  he  had 
claimed  as  his  own.  This  had  an  effect  on  her  heart. 
She  had  mourned  excessively.  She  was  converted  by 
means  of  her  mother,  her  royal  highness  the  Duchess  Hen, 
riette  of  Wurtemberg,  who  is  also  an  eminent  Christian." 

With  the  grand  maitresse  of  the  palace  Dr.  King  had 
much  serious  conversation,  and  was  treated  by  her  with 
marked  respect.  He  visited  with  her  and  the  Countess 
of  Brunswick,  whom  he  calls  "a  lovely  Christian  sister 
who  had  never  formally  left  the  Roman-catholic  church," 
an  infant  school,  also  a  hospital  for  poor,  aged  females, 
which  had  been  founded  by  the  archduchess.  There 
were  thirty-seven  inmates.  One  of  them,  the  daughter 
of  a  Protestant  minister  at  Wurtemburg,  had  been  bed- 
ridden for  fifty-six  years,  but  still  seemed  very  happy. 
Upon  occasion  of  a  second  visit  to  the  archduchess,  one 
of  the  first  men  of  the  nation,  the  leader  of  the  Roman- 
catholics,  came  in,  and  Dr.  King  found  opportunity  to 
preach  him  quite  a  little  sermon. 

At  Pesth  a  most  interesting  work  was  going  on 
among  the  Jews.  Dr.  King  writes  that  he  heard  of  and 
saw  here  wonderful  things,  as  may  be  seen  from  the  fol- 
lowing extracts : 

"  Dr.  Keith  and  Dr.  Black  (Professor  at  Aberdeen) 
had  arrived  at  Pesth  in  1839,  having  parted  from  the 
Rev.  Mr.  McCheyne  and  Bonar  at  Constantinople.  At 
Pesth  Dr.  Keith  was  taken  ill,  and  obliged  to  remain 
there  several  months.     The  archduchess,  who  had  long 

Jonas  Kins.  ^O 


326  yONAS  KING. 

been  praying  that  some  one  might  be  sent  to  preach  the 
"•ospel  at  Pesth,  hearing  that  he  was  ill,  said,  '  This  is  in 
answer  to  my  prayers  ;  this  is  the  man !'  and  went  to 
see  him,  and  attended  to  him  in  person.  While  here. 
Dr.  Keith  was  much  exercised  in  his  mind  for  Hungary, 
and  often  prayed  for  it.  The  archduchess  said  that  he 
spent  at  one  time  three  hours  in  prayer  in  pleading  for 
this  people.  He  went  to  Scotland  afterwards,  and  made 
a  report,  and  proposed  to  the  Church  of  Scotland  the 
establishment  of  a  mission  at  Pesth,  and  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Duncan  of  the  Scotch  church,  who  had  previously  devo- 
ted himself  to  the  Jews,  was  selected  for  this  station,  and 
sent,  with  his  family,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Allen  and  Mr. 
Smith,  in  the  year  1841.  After  meeting  with  some  diffi- 
culties, he  succeeded  in  establishing  a  service  for  the 
English,  a  few  of  whom  were  providentially  residing  in 
this  city.  At  first  very  few  attended  ;  but  the  congrega- 
tion gradually  increased,  till  finally  it  amounted,  of  all 
nations,  to  forty  or  fifty.  It  was  soon  known  to  the  Jew- 
ish community  that  Dr.  Duncan  was  a  good  Hebrew  and 
Arabic  scholar,  and  this  induced  some  of  the  more  learn- 
ed Jews  to  visit  him.  For  a  considerable  time  not  much 
fruit  appeared.  Still  they  labored  as  they  had  opportu- 
nity. Mr.  Allen  taught  English.  Gradually  their  influ- 
ence increased.  The  Jews  began  to  speak  of  the  manner 
in  which  Dr.  Duncan's  household  was  conducted,  accord- 
ing to  the  Word  of  God,  and  different  in  many  respects 
from  all  around  him.  Many  of  the  Jews  who  knew  Eng- 
lish came  and  attended  his  English  service.  The  first 
who  was  impressed,  or  showed  some  signs  of  life,  was 


TO  URS  AND  TRA  VELS.  3  2  7 

old  Mr.  Saphir,  whom  Dr.  Keith  had  known,  and  with 
whom  he  corresponded.  Mr.  Saphir  had  projected  the 
principal  Jewish  school  in  Hungary,  a  model  school,  after 
which  others  were  formed.  In  this  school  about  three 
hundred  boys  were  taught.  He  was  esteemed  one  of  the 
most  learned  Jews  in  Hungary.  When  he  was  fifty-four 
years  of  age  he  studied  English  for  the  purpose  of  read- 
ing English  literature  ;  and  this  became  in  the  providence 
of  God  one  of  the  means  of  his  conversion,  followed  by 
that  of  his  family  and  of  a  number  of  other  Jews.  Per- 
secution ensued.  Mr.  Saphir  lost  his  position,  but  was 
accepted  as  missionary  by  one  of  the  churches  of  Scot- 
land at  Edinburgh.  The  secret  of  the  wonderful  change 
is  found  in  the  following  fact :  "  There  is  in  Edinburgh 
a  society  composed  of  ladies,  and  another  in  Glasgow,  for 
the  purpose  of  sending  the  gospel  to  Jewish  females  by 
means  of  schools  or  otherwise.  In  Glasgow  the  wives 
of  thirty-six  ministers  are  in  the  direction  of  the  society. 
They  meet  every  Wednesday,  from  twelve  till  two,  for 
prayer."  There  are  similar  meetings  in  other  parts  of 
Scotland,  to  pray  particularly  for  the  Jews,  Money  was 
also  raised.  One  of  the  converts  at  Pesth  was  a  young 
man  whom  the  Jews  had  begged  to  write  against  Chris- 
tianity, and  he  had  actually  arranged  the  heads  for  a 
book  when  he  resolved  to  study  the  New  Testament  with 
prayer.  He  came  to  hear  Dr.  King  preach,  and  seemed 
much  affected — said  he  believed  the  New  Testament 
was  the  Word  of  God.  All  those  who  were  converted 
had  been  subjects  of  individual  prayer,  some  of  them  by 
the  Archduchess  Maria  Dorothea.     A  servant-o'irl  was 


328  yONAS  KING. 

brought  in  through  seeing  the  change  of  conduct  pro- 
duced in  her  employer's  family  through  the  gospel. 

When  Dr.  King  left  Pesth  many  friends  "  accompa- 
nied him  to  the  ship,"  or  rather  steamer.  His  heart  was 
very  much  affected  by  the  kindness  received  there,  and 
he  stood  looking  toward  the  palace  and  city  until  the 
Palatine  Island  hid  them  from  view.  He  afterwards 
kept  up  some  correspondence  with  the  archduchess  and 
other  friends  in  Hungary.  On  the  steamer  one  of  the 
passengers,  about  thirty  years  of  age,  and  having  his 
wife  and  child  on  board,  expressed  much  surprise  on 
hearing  Dr.  King  was  an  American,  for  he  thought  they 
were  black  and  were  all  cannibals. 

At  Vienna  Dr.  King  was  invited  to  dinner  twice  by 
the  Baron  de  Rothschild,  who  seemed  inclined  to  be  very 
sociable  with  him  ;  called  the  Van  Lenneps  "  Les  braves 
gens,"  and  listened  with  earnest  attention  to  what  Dr. 
King  told  him  of  Palestine  and  the  needs  of  the  Jews 
there. 

Dr.  King  met  here  the  Metropolitan  of  all  the  Greeks 
in  Austria,  having  ten  bishops  under  him,  and  had  a 
long  conversation  with  him  on  the  importance  of  having 
the  Holy  Scriptures  taught  to  all  the  people.  He  replied 
that  the  Roman-catholics  consider  it  a  crime  for  young 
persons  to  read  the  Scriptures,  but  that  he  considered 
them  necessary,  and  that  he  was  about  to  issue  an  order 
that  all  students  who  are  to  be  priests  should  study  ihe 
Hebrew  and  Greek,  because  the  Bible  was  written  in 
those  languages. 

At  Munich  Dr.  King  was  again  introduced  into  royal 


1 0  URS  AND  TEA  VELS.  329 

circles.  He  had  become  acquainted  in  Athens  with  the 
Count  Saporte,  who  was  court  marshal.  Going  to  the 
palace  to  find  him,  he  met  him  in  one  of  the  courts. 
"  He  took  me  by  the  hand  like  a  brother ;  took  me  to  his 
own  house,  and  made  arrangements  to  have  me  present- 
ed to  the  queen  ;  then  he  went  with  me  to  the  palace, 
got  me  presented  to  the  two  younger  sisters  of  King 
Otho,  Hildegarde  and  Alexandra,  and  to  his  young  broth- 
er Adelbert."  They  visited  the  palace  and  the  curiosi- 
ties together.  "  With  the  sisters  of  Otho  I  had  a  good 
deal  of  conversation,  and  was  enchanted  with  them — 
amiable,  intelligent,  and  easy  in  manner.  Spoke  with 
them  on  the  importance  of  Christians  of  all  denomina- 
tions uniting  to  do  good  ;  told  them  how  the  first  crown 
their  brother  received  at  Athens  was  given  him  by  the 
scholars  of  my  gymnasium."  In  the  queen's  reception- 
room  Dr.  King  was  first  introduced  to  the  Duchess  of 
Leuchtenberg,  aunt  to  King  Otho,  also  to  the  princess 
royal,  a  niece  of  the  king  of  Prussia.  "The  queen  soon 
came  out  to  see  me.  We  spoke  of  Greece  and  Palestine, 
my  mission  there,  of  her  Imperial  Highness  Maria  Doro- 
thea, etc.,  and  she  expressed  her  pleasure  at  seeing  me, 
and  said,  '  I  shall  write  to  my  son  Otho  that  I  have  seen 
you.'  She  is  just  twenty-one  days  younger  than  I  am, 
and  very  sweet  and  mild  in  her  appearance.  Count 
Saporte  showed  me  the  *  argenterie '  of  the  king.  The 
quantity  of  gold  and  silver  vessels  is  immense.  Next  he 
sent  a  man  to  open  the  Reiche  Kapelle,  which  is  indeed 
properly  so  called,  for  I  doubt  whether  there  are  greater 
riches  in  so  small  a  compass  in  any  part  of  Europe.    The 

28* 


33 o  JONAS  KING. 

floor  is  of  precious  stones,  its  walls  of  mosaic,  its  altar 
v/ith  all  the  images  of  solid  silver,  as  also  the  pipes  of 
the  organ,  the  ceiling  inlaid  with  gold,  several  closets 
full  of  vases  and  crucifixes  of  gold  and  precious  stones. 
Though  I  have  seen  of  late  so  many  precious  things,  yet 
I  was  astonished  at  the  riches  of  this  chapel,  which  is 
perhaps  not  more  than  twelve  or  fifteen  feet  square.  In 
different  vases  were  relics,  so  called  :  the  hands  of  St. 
Dionysius,  St.  Chrysostom,  St.  John  the  Baptist,  the  fin- 
ger of  St.  Peter,  the  thigh-bone  of  St.  Matthias,  the  jaw- 
bone of  some  saint  whose  name  I  have  forgotten.  In 
one  vase  I  saw  some  earth  which  was  said  to  be  stained 
with  the  blood  of  our  Saviour  when  he  was  crucified. 
Among  other  things  was  a  small  portable  altar  which 
belonged  to  Mary  Queen  of  Scots,  who  performed  her 
devotions  before  it  when  in  prison,  and  at  the  moment 
she  laid  her  liead  on  the  block  she  gave  it  to  an  attend- 
ant. I  was  told  there  had  been  offered  for  this  a  million 
of  florins.  I  took  it  in  my  hand.  It  doubles  up  in  a 
very  small  compass,  and  can  easily  be  carried  in  the 
pocket,  being,  say,  three  inches  long,  two  and  a  half 
wide,  and  half  an  inch  thick. 

"  King  Ludwig  of  Bavaria,  though  he  has  a  small 
kingdom,  has  seventy -five  palaces.  The  University 
building  is  the  most  splendid  thing  of  the  kind  I  ever 
saw." 

Leaving  Munich,  Dr.  King  took  his  seat  for  the  first 
time  in  a  railroad  car  ;  in  fact  he  had  never  seen  a  railroad 
before.  Continuing  on  his  way  he  arrived  in  Paris  in 
July,  1843,  and  felt  quite  overcome  there  by  the  associa- 


TOURS  AND  TRAVELS.  331 

tions  and  recollections  of  his  stay  there  twenty  years 
before,  but  of  his  early  friends  "  some  were  scattered, 
some  were  dead."  Of  those  remaining,  the  Duke  de  Bro- 
glie  and  the  Countess  of  St.  Aulaire  were  out  of  town. 
Mr.  Adolphe  Monod,  however,  and  Pastor  Grandpierre, 
received  him  with  open  arms,  and  at  a  prayer  meeting  held 
at  the  house  of  the  former.  Dr.  King  soon  found  himself 
at  home,  and  before  long  other  of  his  friends  returning 
gave  him  the  warm  greeting  always  so  much  prized  by 
the  stranger.  On  his  return  through  Switzerland  Dr. 
King  notes,  with  peculiar  interest,  interviews  held  with 
the  Count  and  Countess  de  Gasparin,  with  the  sentiments 
of  whose  books  he  had  in  general  fully  sympathized.  The 
close  tie  which  laborers  in  the  mission  field,  both  East 
and  West,  feel  for  each  other,  was  shown  by  the  pains 
which  Dr.  King  took  to  visit  the  little  Swiss  village  of 
Orbes,  from  which  Madame  Feller  had  gone  to  her  work 
at  Grande  Ligne,  Canada. 

At  Geneva  Dr.  King  met  Mrs.  Dr.  Baird,  Col.  Tronchin, 
and  Drs.  Malan  and  Gaussen.  The  widow  of  his  friend, 
the  Baron  De  Stael,  was  also  there,  and  sent  for  him  to 
come  to  her  home  at  Coppet.  Dr.  King  writes  that  "she 
said  that  the  ten  months  of  her  union  with  the  baron 
were  months  of  unmingled  pleasure,  without  a  cloud,  and 
when  he  was  taken  away  she  would  not  be  comforted 
Then  her  child,  two  years  after,  was  taken  away,  then 
her  sister-in-law,  the  Duchess  de  Broglie,  but  now  she 
feels  that  all  is  well."  Of  her  home,  Dr.  King  writes : 
"  It  is  a  fit  place  for  study,  meditation  and  prayer.  Here 
Madame  Dj  Stael  wrote  in  former  times  when  the  world 


332  yOiVAS  KING. 

was  full  of  noise,  and  revolution  and  terror ;  here  her 
daughter,  the  Duchess  de  Broglie,  meditated  sublimer 
themes,  and  spoke  of  things  far  more  interesting  than 
philosophy  and  politics.  It  seems  as  if  some  age  long 
gone  by  had  returned,  as  if  the  dial  had  turned  back  a 
hundred  years ;  and  how  soon  I  too  shall  go  the  way  of 
all  the  earth  and  be  silent  as  those  whose  shades  now 
pass  before  me." 

While  in  Geneva,  Dr.  King  took  the  opportunity  of 
buying  the  watch  he  afterwards  carried,  with  money 
given  him  for  the  purpose  by  1' Admiral  Count  Verhuell. 

In  1847,  during  his  time  of  persecution,  Dr.  King 
was  urged,  indeed  almost  commanded  by  the  king,  and 
some  personal  friends,  as  has  before  been  stated,  to  leave 
Athens  for  a  while,  and  he  decided  to  go  first  into  Ger- 
many and  Switzerland.  At  a  parting  service  held  at  Mr. 
Buel's,  at  the  Piraeus,  Dr.  King  was  much  comforted  by 
means  of  a  prayer  offered  by  Miss  Waldo,  as  also  by 
singing  with  his  friends  the  hymn,  "  Jesus,  I  my  cross 
have  taken."  Landing  at  Patmos,  some  men  in  a  restau- 
rant were  overheard  saying,  "There  is  King.  Let  us 
stone  him."  Another  said,  "  He  has  doubtless  been  sent 
here  to  be  tried,  and  we  shall  then  have  the  opportunity." 
To  this  an  old  man  replied,  "  It  is  better  to  take  a  knife 
and  go  to  his  door,  and  watch  him  as  he  comes  out  some 
evening."  At  Corfu,  Lord  Seaton  received  Dr.  King 
very  kindly,  inviting  him  to  breakfast  at  his  palace. 
Passing  through  Venice  and  Vicenza  by  car,  Dr.  King 
came  to  Trent,  famous  for  its  council ;  and  in  the  record- 
book,  kept  there  for  travellers,  he  inscribed  the  following 


TOURS  AND  TRAVELS.  m 

words,  as  a  sort  of  protest  against  the  errors  once  en- 
dorsed there :  " '  The  counsel  of  the  Lord,  that  shall 
stand.'     Jonas  King,  Aug.  12,  1847." 

Through  the  "  beautiful  country  "  of  Bulgaria,  yet  "  de- 
filed by  idols  set  up  for  worship  by  the  sides  of  the  road," 
our  refugee  went  on  to  Innspruck,  crossing  the  Alps, 
missing  his  baggage,  comforted  as  a  stranger  in  a  hotel 
by  overhearing  some  unknown  fellow-traveller  at  prayer, 
who,  while  enjoying  communion  with  his  Saviour,  knew 
not  he  was  being  used  as  a  means  of  blessing  to  another. 
At  Constance  was  to  be  seen  a  statue  of  Abraham,  much 
defaced,  which  the  people  took  for  one  of  Huss,  or  per- 
haps Jerome  of  Prague.  Zurich,  the  home  of  Zwingle, 
next  claimed  attention.  Here  Dr.  King  called  on  Prof. 
Lange,  since  so  well  known,  and  whom  he  speaks  of  as 
"friendly  to  missions."  All  this  change  of  scene  and 
this  Christian  intercourse  was  the  very  medicine  needed 
by  Dr.  King.  At  Berne  he  attended  one  or  more 
sessions  of  the  Diet,  and  tells  of  the  quaint  customs  as 
to  dress,  handed  down  from  olden  time.  Lauzanne  and 
Geneva  he  was  glad  to  revisit,  finding  there  friends  old 
and  new — Baptist  Noel,  Merle  d'Aubigne,  Prof.  Tholuck, 
and  others.  Conversation  turned  often  upon  the  Evan- 
gelical Christian  Alliance,  formed  the  year  before  at 
London.  Dr.  King  was  made  at  home  at  the  house  of 
Mr.  Rivier,  one  of  whose  daughters  was  Madame  G. 
de  Felice. 

Dr.  King  next  spent  a  part  of  his  exile  in  Italy. 

Sir  Culling  Eardley  had  given  him  a  letter  of  intro- 
duction to  the  Count  Pietro  Guicciardini  at  Florence,  who 


334  yONAS  KING. 

in  a  private  conversation  said  that  he  was  convinced  of 
the  errors  of  his  church,  and  that  this  change  came  from 
reading  some  passages  of  Scripture.  He  said  also,  that 
a  law  still  existed  condemning  to  the  galleys  a  man  guilty 
of  heresy,  though  he  doubted  whether  it  would  now  be 
put  in  execution. 

At  St.  Peter's  Dr.  King  was  struck  with  the  sugges- 
tive arrangement  by  which  the  throne  of  the  Pope  was 
supported  by  statues  of  St.  Chrysostom  on  the  right  and 
St.  Athanasius  on  the  left,  Greek  saints,  and  St.  Ambrose 
and  St.  Augustine,  Latin  Saints.  He  was  glad  to  know 
of  this  from  personal  observation,  because  he  could  now 
appeal  with  more  effect  to  certain  portions  of  the  works 
of  these  fathers  against  the  worship  of  the  Virgin  Mary, 
and  in  regard  to  the  importance  of  reading  the  Sacred 
Scriptures.  Of  all  the  objects  he  saw  at  Rome,  the 
Coliseum  affected  him  the  most.  There  multitudes  of 
Christians  had  formerly  been  put  to  death.  As  he  walked 
over  the  arena  he  could  almost  hear  the  cry,  "  How  long, 
O  Lord,  dost  thou  not  judge  and  avenge  our  blood  on 
them  that  dwell  on  the  earth." 

Descriptions  are  given  by  Dr.  King  of  Pompeii,  Her- 
culaneum,  of  Virgil's  tomb.  &c.,  with  all  the  delicate 
appreciation  of  a  Christian  scholar  ;  but  all  through  Italy 
it  was  trying  to  see  the  grand  facts  of  our  religion  scan- 
dalized by  puerile  representations.  Thus,  however,  was 
he  still  better  prepared  to  testify  against  such  perversions. 
At  Messina,  Sicily,  he  found  the  Cyclops  still  existed 
in  the  form  of  police  officers,  who,  with  four  eyes  instead 
of  one,  looked   at  everything  and  suspected  everything 


HOURS  AND  TRAVELS.  335 

as  much  as  if  he  had  come  from  the  moon.  Visiting  the 
Cathedral  there,  he  had  a  ladder  brought  so  as  to  read  for 
himself  a  letter  set  high  up  above  the  altar,  purporting  to 
be  written  to  the  city  by  the  Virgin  Mary,  daughter  of 
James.  Dr.  King  next  spent  a  few  weeks  at  Malta. 
Here  he  was  able  to  watch  more  closely  the  course  of 
events  at  hame,  and  was  soon  gladdened  by  a  visit  from 
his  wife  and  son.  The  welcome  given  to  a  new  mission- 
ary, Mr.  Johnson,  brought  .to  mind  his  own  arrival  there 
twenty-six  years  before.  His  present  stay  at  Malta, 
while  waiting,  "  like  a  bird  on  a  bush,  with  one  wing  up 
and  ready  to  fly  at  any  moment  back  to  Athens,"  was 
not  ill  spent.  The  "Farewell  Letter"  was  revised,  and 
editions  of  it  put  through  the  press,  and  into  circulation ; 
and  other  missionary  work  was  accomplished,  especial 
efforts  being  made  to  give  the  Gospel  to  Italy,  Even  at 
this  time  a  call  came  for  three  thousand  Italian  Bibles, 
Copies  of  the  "  Farewell  Letter  "  were  sent  into  Tuscany, 
and  found  their  way  to  Constantinople,  and  into  Egypt. 
Has  the  sowing  of  such  seed  no  relation  to  the  progress 
of  liberty  and  Protestantism,  as  now  seen  in  the  kingdom 
of  Italy  t 

Dr.  King  made  no  further  journey  in  Europe  until 
1857,  when  the  desires  of  his  heart  were  indeed  fulfilled, 
for  h€  was  then  present  at  the  meeting  of  the  Evangeli- 
cal Alliance,  held  that  year  at  Berlin.  A  more  impressive 
scene  he  never  witnessed,  than  when  English  and  Ameri- 
can Episcopalians,  Methodists,  Baptists  and  Presbyte- 
rians, Congregationalists,  French,  Swiss,  Spanish  and 
Germans,  all,  as  one  in  Christ,  communed  with  each  other 


336  yONAS  KING, 

around  His  one  table.  The  Dean  of  Canterbury  and  Dr. 
Wm.  Patton  of  New  York  took  direction  of  the  service. 
Next  comes  mention  of  Bishop  Simpson,  beloved  in  all 
all  the  churches,  who  delivered,  says  Dr.  King,  "  one  of 
the  most  impressive  discourses  I  ever  heard.  It  was  ad- 
mirable, and  I  felt  how  much  I  had  lost  in  personal  enjoy- 
ment by  being  absent  so  long  from  my  native  country." 

Friday,  September  ii,  the  members  of  the  Alliance, 
as  a  nucleus,  and  others,  in  all  about  nine  hundred  per- 
sons, went  by  a  special  train,  ordered  by  the  king,  to  visit 
him  at  Potsdam.  "  On  arriving  at  the  palace  we  found 
a  suite  of  splendid  rooms,  with  tables  covered  with  re- 
freshments, of  which  all  partook.  We  walked  through 
several  of  the  rooms,  which  were  open,  and  among  them 
was  the  one  that  Voltaire  occupied  in  the  time  of  Fred- 
erick the  Great,  and  who  said  that  twelve  foolish  men 
had  invented  Christianity,  and  that  one  man  would  de- 
stroy it.  Here  the  king,  a  successor  of  Frederick,  receiv- 
ed us  in  the  kindest  manner,  using  all  his  influence  to 
promote  Christianity  and  Christian  union.  At  about  five 
p.  M.  the  king  and  queen  and  suite  arrived,  and  received 
us  in  front  of  the  palace,  in  companies,  according  to  our 
respective  nations. 

"  The  first  he  met,  on  coming  out  of  the  palace,  was 
the  German  Committee,  a  member  of  which  addressed  a 
few  words  to  the  king,  saying  that  we  had  come,  an  army, 
but  not  with  swords  to  fight,  or  with  earthly  armor,  but 
to  pray  for  his  majesty,  etc.  The'king  replied  that  he 
hoped  the  Spirit  would  be  poured  out  upon  us,  as  T)n  the 
day  of  Pentecost.    He  then  came  to  the  Americans,  some 


THE  E  VANG  Lie AL  ALLIANCE.  337 

forty  ill  number,  at  the  head  of  whom  was  our  worthy 
minister,  Governor  Wright,  to  whom  the  king  gave  his 
hand  in  the  most  cordial  manner,  and  also  to  Dr.  Baird, 
and  said, '  Oh,  I  am  so  glad  to  see  you.'  I  was  then  pre- 
sented, and  then  Dr.  Dvvight,  Bishop  Simpson,  and  oth- 
ers. Dr.  Dwight  addressed  a  few  words  to  his  majesty, 
expressing  his  gratitude  for  what  the  Prussian  ambassa- 
dor had  done  at  Constantinople  in  aiding  the  missiona- 
ries, and  mentioned  a  school  at  Smyrna  in  which,  Dr. 
Dvvight  told  me,  the  king  took  a  particular  interest.  The 
king  seemed  affected  even  to  tears.  He  then  went  to 
the  English,  at  the  head  of  whom  stood  Sir  Culling  Eard- 
ley,  who  addressed  him,  and  then  introduced  several  of 
his  distinguished  countrymen.  The  delegates  from  other 
nations  were  presented  also.  The  king  spent  with  us,  I 
should  think,  an  hour  and  a  half.  The  queen  was  pres- 
ent all  the  time  with  her  maids  of  honor,  and  I  and  sev- 
eral others  were  presented  to  her,  and  she  received  us 
with  the  greatest  simplicity.  As  the  king  and  queen 
were  retiring  into  the  palace,  the  multitude  who  had 
been  presented  sang  a  hymn,  and  shouts  of  joy,  '  Long 
live  the  king,'  in  various  languages,  were  heard  from  the 
whole  assembly,  like  the  roaring  of  the  waves  of  the  sea. 
We  were  then,  by  the  same  train  that  brought  us,  con- 
veyed to  Berlin,  where  we  arrived  about  eight  or  nine  in 
the  evening.  All  hearts  were  glad,  and  all  praised  God 
for  having  inclined  the  heart  of  the  king  thus  to  favor  the 
meeting  of  the  Evangelical  Alliance." 

For  nine  days  the  meetings  continued.     "  The  king 
attended'  three  or  four  times,  and  sat  each  time  for  an 

Jon-s  Kins.  29 


338  yONAS  KING. 

liour  and  a  half  or  two  hours,  and  gave  the  strictest  atten- 
tion. On  the  eighth  day,  Dr.  Dvvight  was  called  upon  to 
speak,  and  I  followed.  The  king  was  present,  and  per- 
haps four  thousand  people.  As  I  turned  to  go  away,  Dr. 
Krummacher  took  me  by  the  hand  most  cordially,  and  so 
did  Dr.  Barth  and  others." 

Dr.  King  was  one  of  a  committee  sent  the  next  day 
to  wait  on  the  Emperor  Alexander  of  Russia,  and  present 
a  certain  document,  which  had  been  drawn  up  in  English, 
French,  and  German,  to  solicit  his  interposition  in  favor 
of  the  distribution  of  the  Bible  in  his  dominions  in  the 
Russ  language.  The  emperor  had  been  reviewing  about 
forty  thousand  troops,  and  was  about  to  leave  Berlin ; 
but  the  king  of  Prussia,  notwithstanding  his  extra  fatigue, 
received  the  deputation,  and  expressed  himself  as  much 
pleased  with  the  addresses,  one  of  which  was  made  by 
Dr,  King. 

An  occasion  of  peculiar  interest,  as  foreshadowing 
that  true  Christian  union  of  which  the  grand  gathering 
in  New  York  in  1 873  was  a  glorious  exemplification,  was  a 
dinner  given  by  Sir  Culling  Eardly  at  his  hotel,  to  which 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  King  and  daughter  were  invited.  After 
speeches  made  in  various  languages,  Rev.  Mr.  Alford, 
Dean  of  Canterbury,  closed  with  an  extemporaneous 
prayer,  "  most  beautifully  appropriate  in  every  respect." 

Going  on  to  Paris,  Dr.  King  met  there  his  old  friend 
Sidney  E.  Morse  and  M.  de  Tassy.  He  made  at  this 
time  a  very  short  stay  in  Paris,  returning  by  as  direct 
a  route  as  possible  to  his  home  and  work  at  Athens. 


LAST  VISIT  TO  AMERICA.  339 


CHAPTER    X  XII. 
LAST  VISIT  TO  AMERICA. 

Many  Changes— Warm  Welcomes— Dr.  W.  A.  Hallo ck—Hawley 
and  Plainfield,  Mass.— Old  Elm-tree— Chicago— Rochester- 
Clifton  Springs— New  Haven— Meeting  with  Dr.  Goodell  at 
Elizabeth,  N.  J. 

Dr.  King  remained  at  his  post  until  1864,  when,  his 
health  being  much  impaired,  he  came,  in  July,  with  his 
wife,  to  the  United  States,  remaining  about  three  years. 

While  received  everywhere  with  warm  and  respectful 
attention,  he  could  yet  realize  with  Wordsworth,  that 
there  are  some  advantages  connected  with  "  Yarrow  un- 
visited."  Dr.  Hallock  had  given  him  warning  of  many 
changes,  especially  in  his  native  place.  But  Dr.  King's 
daughters,  who  were  in  this  country,  vied  with  each 
other  in  securing  his  presence  and  their  mother's  at  their 
several  homes. 

A  few  of  his  old  friends  still  survived.  His  meeting 
at  Elizabeth,  N.  J.,  with  S.  V.  S.  Wilder,  now  in  his 
eighty- fourth  year,  was  indeed  one  of  peculiar  interest. 
As  Dr.  King,  his  own  head  now  touched  with  silver,  en- 
tered the  room,  he  said,  "  I  once  had  a  friend  ;  when  I 
asked  him,  '  What  shall  I  do  T  he  said  to  me,  '  Go.'  '  But 
what  will  become  of  my  aged  father  and  mother  in  Amer- 
ica ?'  "I  will  be  a  son  to  them.'  *  Then,'  said  I,  '  I  will 
go  up  to  Jerusalem,  not  knowing  the  things  that  shall 


34°  yOiVAS  KING. 

befall  me  there.' "  The  whole  scene  was  in  keeping  with 
the  touch  of  romance  that  had  ever  attended  intercourse 
between  these  two  honored  servants  of  our  Lord ;  and 
when,  the  following  year,  the  older  friend  was  called  to 
his  home  above,  no  one  took  more  interest  than  Dr.  King 
in  doing  honor  to  his  memory,  aiding  by  most  valuable 
contributions  in  preparing  the  Records  published  by  the 
American  Tract  Society  concerning  him.  Long  before, 
in  1836,  Dr.  King,  on  occasion  of  his  own  birthday,  had 
written  to  Mr.  Wilder :  "  Is  it  possible  that  eight  years 
have  elapsed  since  I  saw  you  }  With  what  rapid  pace 
are  we  travelling  on  toward  the  eternal  world  !  We  shall 
soon  meet,  if  we  are  in  Christ,  never  to  separate.  There 
we  shall,  I  trust,  spend  hours  more  happy  than  those  at 
Nanterre,  or  in  the  little  boudoir  at  Paris.  All  the  com- 
forts we  receive  here  in  our  souls  are  but  an  earnest  of 
the  Spirit — a  near  foretaste  of  the  joys  which  shall  be 
hereafter  revealed.  May  your  path  be  like  that  of  the 
shining  light  which  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  per- 
fect day.  Yours  in  the  best  of  bonds,  Jonas  King."  The 
time  of  separation  was  short ;  Dr.  King  followed  his 
friend  to  heaven  in  a  little  more  than  four  years. 

Hawley,  his  native  place,  and  Plainfield,  Mass.,  too, 
were  points  of  interest  to  the  returned  wanderer  from  for- 
eign lands.  One  can  hardly  imagine  the  old  elm-tree  as 
quite  devoid  of  feeling,  as  came  again  under  its  now  wide- 
sheltering  arms  the  worn  missionary,  who  in  his  boyhood 
had  consecrated  himself  to  Christ  under  its  young  shadow. 
The  hills,  the  woods,  the  landscape  were  there  as  of  old- 
en time.     Few  changes  had  come  into  the  quiet  country 


LAS2'  VISIT  TO  AMERICA.  341 

town  of  Hawley  ;  yet  "  its  sound  had  gone  out  into  all 
the  earth,"  had  been  repeated  in  the  courts  of  the  Areop- 
agus, and  with  its  neighbor,  Plainfield  (where  had  been 
educated  in  a  school  taught  by  the  Rev.  Moses  Hallock 
fifty  ministers  of  the  gospel,  of  whom  ten  were  mission- 
aries), it  stands  in  silent  testimony  of  what  God  can  do, 
using  for  his  own  glory  and  the  good  of  souls  places  so 
obscure  that  but  little  is  expected  from  them. 

Dr.  King  visited  many  parts  of  this  country,  spending 
some  time  at  Chicago,  where  he  received  much  kindness 
from  Gov.  Bross  and  others ;  also  at  Rochester. 

By  invitation  of  Dr.  Henry  Foster,  Dr.  King  spent 
three  weeks  at  Clifton  Springs,  N.  Y.,  and  found  his  stay 
there  of  decided  benefit  to  his  health,  enjoying  at  the 
same  time  the  society  of  the  many  Christian  friends 
always  to  be  found  at  this  modern  Bethesda. 

At  New  Haven  it  was  pleasant  to  meet  again  Mrs. 
Pelatiah  Perit,  as  also  at  New  York  Mrs.  T.  C.  Doremus, 
with  her  home  ever  open  to  the  missionary. 

At  Bible,  Tract,  and  Missionary  meetings,  in  city  or 
in  country  places,  Dr.  King's  marked  and  venerable 
countenance  was,  during  this  last  visit,  ever  most  wel- 
come. To  younger  members  of  our  churches  his  pres- 
ence was  almost  as  if  one  rose  from  the  dead.  He  often 
afterwards  referred  to  one  evening  as  of  special  interest. 
His  old  friends,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Goodell  of  Constantinople, 
and  daughters,  had  come  for  a  few  days  on  a  visit  to 
Elizabeth,  N.  J.  Dr.  King  also  was  there  at  the  same 
time.  Other  Christian  friends  living  in  the  neighbor- 
hood were  invited  in  to  share  in  the  pleasure  of  meeting 

2:* 


342  JONAS  KING. 

these  two  veteran  soldiers  of  the  cross.  It  was  an  occa- 
siun  for  prayer  and  praise.  The  pastor  of  the  family, 
Rev.  Dr.  William  C.  Roberts,  who  had  become  acquaint- 
ed with  these  missionaries  in  their  Eastern  homes,  and 
whose  church  Dr.  King,  while  visiting  one  of  his  daugh- 
ters and  other  friends,  attended  for  several  months,  led 
in  the  services,  and  was  able,  in  his  own  native  Welsh, 
to  join  in  the  chorus  of  the  favorite  hymn  of  Dr.  Goodell, 
Can  we  doubt  that  the  Master  of  Assemblies  heard, 
as  in  Arabic,  Armenian,  French,  English,  and  Welsh,  the 
invitation,  "  Come  to  Jesus  just  now,"  was  given  in  such 
various  as  well  as  heartfelt  tones  ? 

But  time  passed  on,  and  although  enjoying  the  many 
welcomes  given  them  to  the  homes  of  their  children  and 
of  Christian  friends,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  King  felt  that  their 
steps  must  turn  homeward  to  the  East. 

A  few  friends,  Mr.  E.  C.  Benedict,  Amos  Clark,  Jr., 
William  E.  Dodge,  E.  A.  Saxton,  Mahlon  Mulford,  W. 
W.  Chester,  J.  B.  Sheffield,  Theodore  Dwight,  R.  T. 
Haines,  Mrs.  Thomas  C.  Doremus,  and  Mrs.  Ailing 
of  Rochester,  together  with  Mr.  King's  sons-in-law,  made 
strenuous  efforts  to  retain  him  in  this  country  by  secu- 
ring for  him  a  home  here;  but  strong  ties  drew  both 
himself  and  Mrs.  King  to  Athens  :  and  "so  it  came,"  as 
John  Bunyan  says,  and  as  is  recorded  of  the  apostles, 
"they  were  let  go  in  peace."  It  was  a  parting  such  as 
that  of  Paul  from  Miletus.  Of  the  long-known  and  be- 
loved missionary,  also,  it  may  be  said,  his  friends  "  sor- 
rowed most  of  all "  that  in  this  world  they  would  proba- 
bly "see  his  face  no  more." 


RETURN  TO  GREECE.  343 

CHAPTER    XXIII. 

RETURN  TO  GREECE— DEATH  IN  1869. 

Paris  Revisited — Missionary  Reunion — The  Past  and  Present  of 
Palestine — Rev.  ]\Ir.  Jessup — Athens — Letter  to  Mrs.  Dore- 
mus,  Wilder,  and  Perit— His  Sickness,  and  Death — Dr.  King's 
Manner  and  Character,  in  Letters  from  Mrs.  Kaloiwthakes — 
His  own  Review  of  his  Missionary  Life. 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  King  returned  to  Greece  in  the  autumn 
of  1867. 

In  Paris,  which  Dr.  King  found  "much  improved  and 
beautiful,  but  not  so  dear"  to  his  heart  after  all  as  some 
of  the  cities  of  his  native  land,  a  pleasant  incident  met 
him  at  the  Greek  consulate.  On  entering  the  office,  the 
consul  rose  to  meet  him,  and  said,  "  Are  you  not  Dr. 
King .''"  and  added,  "  Why,  I  used  to  attend  your  service 
on  the  Sabbath ;"  and  then  gave  him  the  most  cordial 
welcome  possible,  and  showed  him  every  mark  of  respect 
before  the  other  Greeks  present.  Thus  did  Greece  meet 
her  returning  missionary  halfway,  on  his  return  for  the 
last  time  to  her  ancient  shores. 

Of  the  Paris  Exposition,  then  open,  Dr.  King  writes 
as  one  might  now  the  better  do  of  the  more  elaborate 
display  by  which  America  celebrated  her  centennial : 
"  It  is  splendid.  On  entering,  one  feels  as  if  he  were  in 
a  fairy  wilderness  of  beauty,  where,  as  if  by  magic,  every- 
thing most  exquisite  of  nature  and  of  art  has  been  assem- 
bled from  every  part  of  the  globe." 


344  yONAS  KING. 

But  the  "heights  of  Zion"  afford  a  wider  scope  of 
vision  than  "all  the  kingdoms  of  this  world,  and  the  glory 
of  them,"  in  their  relations  to  the  present  alone,  can 
ever  do.  A  glimpse  of  such  does  a  correspondent  of  the 
New  York  "  Observer,"  A.  C.  P.,  give,  under  the  heading, 
"  Dr.  Jonas  King  in  Paris,"  in  the  following  account  of 
services  singularly  appropriate  held  during  his  last  visit 
there : 

"Paris,  November  17,  1867. 

"  I  have  just  had  the  pleasure  of  attending  a  very  in- 
teresting meeting  of  welcome  to  Dr.  Jonas  King,  held 
by  the  Evangelical  Missionary  Society,  under  which  he 
went  out  as  a  missionary  forty-five  years  ago. 

"  Dr.  King  was  requested  to  give  some  account  of  the 
condition  of  Palestine,  and  of  his  work  while  there,  and 
was  introduced  to  the  audience  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Grand- 
pierre,  who  presided.  Dr.  King  spoke  nearly  an  hour  to 
an  audience  intensely  interested,  and  moved  to  smiles 
and  tears  at  his  simple  history. 

"  Especially  were  they  affected  by  the  story  of  the 
'  Martyr  of  Lebanon,  Asaad  El-Shidiak.'  When  Dr. 
King  mentioned  how,  being  called  to  choose  between 
kissing  an  image  of  the  Virgin  and  a  coal  of  fire,  he  press- 
ed the  burning  coal  to  his  lips,  an  audible  murmur  was 
heard  in  the  assembly. 

"  The  speaker,  being  urged  to  continue  his  address, 
gave  a  brief  account  of  his  work  in  Greece  during  nearly 
half  a  century.  He  spoke  in  P"rench,  and  it  was  a  mar- 
vel to  all  how  he  could  speak  so  fluently  and  correctly, 
after  beinj?;  so  Ions:  unused  to  the  lans:ua2:e. 


RETURN  TO  GREECE.  345 

"  At  the  conclusion  of  Dr.  King's  address,  Dr.  Grand- 
pierre  arose  and  grasped  his  hand,  bidding  him  God. 
speed  in  his  work,  and  expressing  his  pleasure  at  being 
permitted  to  meet  him  again  in  Paris. 

"  Rev.  Dr.  Casalis,  Director  of  the  Mission  House,  fol- 
lowed with  a  short  address  of  welcome  and  thanks  in  the 
name  of  all  present.  He  spoke  of  Dr.  King's  assistance 
in  the  organization  of  the  Society,  and  of  his  influence  in 
causing  himself  to  become  a  missionary  in  South  Africa. 
Dr.  Casalis  read  part  of  a  letter  from  Dr.  King  to  the 
Society  in  1823,  which  was  very  pertinent  to  the  object 
of  the  meeting. 

"  The  Rev.  Mr.  Jessup,  who  was  in  the  city  a  few 
days,  on  his  way  home  from  Syria,  was  then  introduced 
as  one  able  to  give  information  of  Palestine  as  it  now  is. 
He  spoke  in  English,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Fisch  interpreted  it 
admirably.  Mr.  Jessup  alluded  to  the  work  done  by  the 
pioneer  missionaries.  Revs.  Dr.  King,  Pliny  Fisk,  and  Levi 
Parsons,  and  said  that,  overlooking  the  grave  of  Mr.  Fisk 
at  Beyrout,  were  now  established  steam-presses,  turning 
out  copies  of  that  gospel  for  which  he  had  laid  down  his 
life,  and  for  which  Asaad  El  Shidiak  suffered  and  died.  He 
stated  that  in  all  that  region  every  priest,  every  man,  wom- 
an, and  child  knows  the  story  of  Asaad,  and  why  he  died. 
So  he  by  his  death  yet  speaks,  and  to  a  class  dif^cult  of 
access  by  the  truth.  It  v/as  beautiful,  this  mingling  of  the 
past  and  the  present  of  France  and  America.  There  sat 
Dr.  King,  the  modern  Paul  of  Athens,  the  representative 
of  the  fearless  and  faithful  laborers  who  forty  years  ago 
broke  up  the  ground  for  the  seed  to  spring  up  afterwards  ; 


346  yONAS  KING. 

and  here  stood  Mr.  Jessup,  the  no  less  earnest  worker, 
who  is  gathering  in  its  fruits  to-day.  The  work  of  one  is 
nearly  completed,  that  of  the  other  we  will  pray  may  be 
continued  yet  many  years.  And  the  little  band  of  French 
Protestants,  whose  lot  has  been  so  hard  in  this  great 
Catholic  country,  must  have  been  encouraged  by  the 
friendly  words  of  their  American  brothers.  Many  came 
forward  to  shake  hands  with  the  two  missionaries,  and 
one  of  the  French  pastors  remarked  :  *  These  Americans 
are  made  of  granite,  we  of  dough.'  Dr.  King  replied,  '  It 
is  you  who  say  it,  not  L'  This  Society,  whose  first  mis- 
sionary was  Dr.  King,  was  established  in  1822.  In  1821, 
when  Dr.  King  came  to  Paris,  there  was  but  one  evan- 
gelical preacher,  the  Rev.  Frederic  Monod,  then  just 
entering  upon  his  career  of  usefulness.  Adolphe  Mo- 
nod, whose  name  is  familiar  to  Americans,  and  his  broth- 
er William  (or  Guillaume)  followed  after.  The  last  of 
these  gifted  brothers,  a  lonely  old  man,  still  remains. 
He  it  was  who  made  the  impressive  prayer  at  our  good 
meeting.  He  often  alludes  to  a  conversation  with  Dr. 
King  nearly  half  a  century  ago,  as  being  the  means  of 
turning  him  from  Unitarianism  to  orthodoxy.  He  spoke 
of  it  to  Mrs.  King  at  his  own  house  this  week. 

"  It  was  exceedingly  gratifying  to  Dr.  King  to  be  so 
cordially  welcomed  among  the  French  Protestants  of 
Paris.  I  think  the  meeting  did  us  all  good.  As  Rev.  Mr. 
Fisch  said,  it  was  quite  a  remarkable  and  beautiful  inci- 
dent that  Mr.  Jessup  should  have  been  present  to  follow 
up  Dr.  King's  account  with  a  statement  of  the  present 
condition  of  the  country  in  which  he  had  labored.     The 


RETURN  TO  GREECE.  347 

contrast  between  then  and  now  was  very  striking ;  as 
also  in  Paris,  where  forty  evangelical  ministers  now  stand 
up  in  the  place  of  one !  May  the  good  work  progress 
continually." 

When  arrived  at  home,  Dr.  King  never  had  strength 
to  undertake  much  missionary  labor.  Dr.  Kalopothakes, 
Mr.  Constantine,  and  M.  Sakellarius  each  had  estab- 
lished Bible  classes  and  Sunday-schools  ;  and  Dr.  King 
wisely  refrained  from  holding  a  separate  service  of  his 
own. 

Dr.  Anderson  states  that  "in  April,  1868,  a  distin- 
guished professor  in  the  University  arranged  for  an  in- 
terview between  Dr.  King  and  the  President  of  the  '  Holy 
Synod.'  This  man,  in  1863,  signed  the  accusation  against 
Dr.  King,  in  consequence  of  which,  after  his  return  to 
Greece,  he  was  a  third  time  cited  before  the  criminal 
court,  though  without  any  result.  The  interview  was 
altogether  pleasant,  and  was  a  striking  illustration  of  the 
progress  of  public  opinion,  '  A  considerable  degree  of 
religious  liberty  has  been  gained,'  writes  the  missionary, 
'and  a  foundation -has  been  laid  on  which,  I  trust,  will 
one  day  arise  a  beautiful  superstructure.' " 

Dr.  King  employed  a  part  of  his  time  in  revising 
plans  he  had  already  drawn  up  in  view  of  the  organiza- 
tion of  a  distinctively  Protestant  Greek  Church. 

Such  a  candlestick  has  now  been  lighted  in  Athens. 
A  neat  and  beautiful  church  building,  since  1874,  wit- 
nesses for  Jesus,  a  true  altar  to  the  "  Unknown  God," 
once  worshipped  there. 

In   this   waiting    time.   Dr.   King's  thoughts   turned 


348  yONAS  KING. 

warmly  to  his  early  friends,  as  a  letter  from  Athens,  bear- 
ing date  January  26,  1869,  best  testifies. 

"  To  Mrs.  T.  C.  Doremus,  Mrs.  S.  V.  S.  Wilder,  Mrs. 
Peletiah  Perit : 

"  My  very  dear  friends  :  I  often  think  of  yon,  the  only 
remaining  three  of  the  nine  of  whom  the  Ladies'  Greek 
Committee  consisted  ;  by  whose  invitation,  and  under 
whose  auspices  I  came  out  to  Greece,  nearly  forty-one 
years  ago,  and  in  connection  with  whom  I  labored  with 
so  much  pleasure  for  two  years  or  more,  before  I  received 
from  the  American  Board  my  appointment  as  its  mission- 
ary in  this  country. 

"  Six  of  the  nine  have  gone  to  their  rest,  as  I  doubt 
not,  in  the  world  above,  and  are  now  in  those  mansions 
which  our  Saviour  long  ago  went  to  prepare  for  his  follow- 
ers, that  they  might  be  with  him  where  he  is,  and  behold 
his  glory,  the  glory  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father, 
full  of  grace  and  truth. 

"  I  think  of  you,  who  remain,  as  probably  approaching 
the  time  of  your  departure,  as  I  am  that  of  mine,  from 
this  world,  in  which  you  have  so  long  labored  for  the  good 
of  many,  and  my  prayer  to  God  is  often  that  when  that 
time  shall  come,  which  I  hope  may  not  be  till  after  many 
more  useful  and  happy  years,  you  may  have  grace  given 
you  from  on  high,  so  as  to  overcome  all  fears  of  death, 
and  rejoice  in  the  prospect  of  having  a  better  and  happier 
life  than  we  can  have  here  in  the  body  exposed  to  so 
many  trials,  encompassed  by  so  many  infirmities  ;  and  in 
this  world  where  sin  and  death  reign,  rejoice  in  the  pros- 
pect of  life  without  sorrow,  pain,  or  sin,  life  eternal. 


DEATH  OF  DR.  KING.  349 

"  I  often  think  of  your  great  generosity,  and  the  kind- 
ness you  showed  me  more  than  forty  years  ago,  and 
during  the  time  of  my  late  visit  to  my  native  land  : 
and  from  one  of  your  number  nearly  half  a  century  ago, 
when  I  was  a  stranger  in  a  foreign  land,  and  who,  when 
I  was  a  sick  and  nigh  unto  death,  visited  me  and  adminis- 
tered to  my  wants  ;  and  who,  with  her  beloved  husband, 
who  now  rests  from  his  labors,  when  I  began  to  recover, 
received  me  into  their  house,  and  by  their  Christian  kind- 
ness contributed  much  toward  my  restoration  to  health, 
so  that  I  was  enabled  to  go  out  as  a  missionary  to  the 
land  where  patriarchs  and  prophets  once  lived,  the  apos- 
tles of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  labored,  and  where  he 
poured  out  his  soul  unto  death  for  our  sins,  and  the  sins 
of  the  world. 

"  To  your  generosity  and  kindness,  my  dear  friends,  I 
owe  much,  and  shall  remember  you  with  gratitude, 
esteem,  and  affection,  as  long  as  I  live. 

"  I  am  now  nearly  seventy-seven  years  old,  and  have 
been  absent  from  my  country  for  the  greater  part  of  half 
a  century ;  but  I  feel  that  my  heart  is  as  warm  as  ever  ; 
and  that  my  love  for  my  country  and  my  friends,  time 
and  distance  can  never  abate. 

"  With  affectionate  rehiembrance  to  the  members  of 
your  respective  families,  with  whom  I  have  the  pleasure 
to  be  acquainted,  I  remain, 

"  Yours  truly, 

"JONAS  KING."' 

The  "  last  of  earth "  was  soon  at  hand.  Dr.  King 
"passed  away"  May  22,  1869. 


3SO  yONAS  KING. 

Of  his  last  hours,  his  death,  and  the  funeral  services, 
Mrs.  Kalopothakes,  at  request  of  Mrs.  King,  wrote  to 
friends  in  America,  as  follows : 

"  We  are  all  overwhelmed  with  the  suddeness  of  the 
event,  for  although  he  has  been  very  feeble  this  spring, 
and  has  had  several  attacks  of  his  old  complaint,  yet  it  is 
only  within  two  days  that  any  serious  symptom  appeared. 
You  could  not  have  been  more  surprised,  I  think,  than 
we  who  are  on  the  ground,  and  as  it  was  a  complaint 
from  which  he  had  suffered  occasionally  for  years,  we 
did  not  apprehend  danger  till  the  very  last.  The 
pain  was  so  great  during  the  last  two  days  that  he  could 
not  converse ;  and  it  was  only  in  the  cessation  which 
usually  precedes  death,  that  my  husband,  seeing  him 
sinking,  approached,  and  asked  him  whether  there  was 
anything  he  wished  to  say.  He  found  his  mind  at  peace, 
resting  upon  Jesus  as  his  only  hope,  and  clear  to  the  very 
last.  He  gave  parting  counsel  to  those  about  him,  and 
sent  messages  to  his  son,  to  the  little  band  of  Greek 
converts  about  us,  etc.,  and  gave  directions  as  to  his 
burial,  which  was  to  be  without  pomp. 

"  A  consultation  of  physicians  was  called  on  Friday 
evening,  and  again  at  ten  o'clock  in  the  evening  ;  but  his 
agony  was  great,  and  at  a  little  after  one  at  midnight,  his 
spirit  was  released  from  the  poor  suffering  body.  I  can 
only  say  that  we  feel  that  our  father  is  taken  from  us  ; 
that  a  prince  in  Israel  has  fallen.  He  is  lying  there  in 
the  parlor,  looking  so  sweet  and  calm,  as  if  in  a  peaceful 
sleep.  For  him  we  cannot  weep,  for  he  is  now  in  the 
presence  of  that  Saviour  whom  he  loved,  and  so  faithfully 


DEATH  OF  DR.  KING.  351 

served ;  but  for  ourselves,  and  the  work  here,  wc  may 
well  say  that  our  '  Master  is  taken  from  our  head  to-day,' 
May  a  double  portion  of  his  spirit  rest  on  those  who  are 
left  to  carry  it  on." 

At  a  little  later  date,  Mrs.  Kalopothakes  again  writes  : 

"  Not  only  at  the  funeral,  but  the  next  day  (the  Sab- 
bath), at  our  preaching  servive,  my  husband  delivered  an 
address,  giving  an  account  of  Dr.  King's  life  and  charac- 
ter, the  sacrifices  he  had  made,  and  the  service  done  for 
Greece,  which  drew  tears  from  many  eyes.  His  day  of 
honor  here  will  come,  if  it  has  not  already :  not  even  his 
enemies  could  deny  the  simplicity  and  uprightness  of  his 
conduct  and  character.  Generous,  loving,  kind  and  for- 
giving, he  was  a  friend  to  all. 

"  To  the  missionary  work  here  his  death  will  be  a 
great  loss  ;  for  although  since  his  return  from  America 
he  has  not  been  able  to  do  a  great  deal  of  active  work, 
yet  his  mind  and  heart  were  ever  busy  devising  plans, 
suggesting,  counselling  and  encouraging  those  whom  he 
was  to  leave  to  carry  them  on.  He  brought  forward  the 
Nicene  Creed  as  the  basis  of  union  for  the  Evangelical 
Greeks,  and  had  lately  had  it  printed  in  a  large  and  at- 
tractive form,  and  hung  in  our  places  of  worship.  He 
hoped  to  live  to  see  the  building  of  an  Evangelical  Greek 
church  in  Athens,  and  even  the  prospect  of  this  did 
much  to  gladden  the  last  year  of  his  life.  His  heart 
was  full  of  hope  for  this  nation,  as  it  was  also  full  of  love." 

In  view  of  the  coming  end.  Dr.  King  had  left  the  sub- 
joined directions  as  to  his  burial :  "  In  case  of  my  death 
here  in  Athens,  I  wish  to  be  buried  near  the  wall  in  the 


352  yONAS  KING. 

cemetery  where  I  purchased,  some  years  since,  of  the 
Rev.  John  H,  Hill,  D.  D.,  a  burying-place,  and  where  I 
buried  my  little  daughter,  Anna  Aspasia  ;  leaving  be- 
tween me  and  her  a  space  for  my  wife,  should  she  die  in 
this  place. 

"  On  my  tombstone  I  wish  for  no  inscription,  except 

JONAS  KING. 

BORN  JULY  29TH,  1792. 
DIED 

"My  tombstone  I  wish  to  be  perfectly  simple  without 

any  carving  on  it. 

"JONAS  KING." 

His  wishes  were  carried  out.  There  was  a  large  at- 
tendance at  the  funeral,  although  Grecian  skies  were 
weeping  heavily  at  the  time,  as  if  in  sympathy. 

Mrs.  Kalopothakes,  just  before  leaving  this  country, 
after  a  visit  here  in  1871,  wrote  by  special  request  some 
of  her  impressions  of  the  venerated  friend,  whom  she  was 
allowed  to  follow  so  soon  to  a  heavenly  home.  Her  note 
is  not  alone  discriminating  as  to  his  character,  but  so 
descriptive  of  the  courtly  simplicity  of  Dr.  King's  man- 
ner, as  to  bring  him  vividly  before  us. 

"  I  have  not  forgotten  my  promise  to  give  you  some 
of  my  personal  impressions  of  dear  Dr.  King,  and  now, 
on  the  eve  of  going  back  to  the  land  and  the  work  so 
associated  with  him,  many  memories  cluster  around  me 
of  my  first  arrival  there,  the  warm  welcome  I  received 
from  liim,  and  the  pleasant  friendship  which  lasted 
through  the  fourteen  years  of  our  acquaintance  there. 


DEATH  OF  DR.  KING.  353 

"  Having  heard  from  childhood  of  Dr.  King,  I  had 
expected  to  see  a  venerable-looking  patriarch,  so  old  and 
so  grave  as  to  have  no  sympathies  in  common  with  me. 
What  then  was  my  surprise  at  his  almost  youthful  face 
and  his  erect  figure,  the  vivacity  and  courteousness  of 
his  manner,  combining  the  dignity  of  the  gentleman  with 
the  warmth  of  the  Christian  heart. 

"  His  character,  too,  was  transparent  in  its  purity  and 
simplicity.  He  seemed  the  very  soul  of  truth  and  up- 
rightness ;  indeed,  I  have  often  thought  that  the  real 
source  of  the  hatred  of  his  enemies  arose  from  this,  that 
it  was  impossible  for  him  to  dissemble,  and  they  saw  as 
in  a  glass  his  inward  disapproval  of  all  that  was  wrong 
in  them  or  their  doctrines. 

"  He  has  been  represented  as  bitter  and  severe,  always 
ready  to  attack  and  provoke  opposition.  He  was,  on  the 
contrary,  almost  effeminately  fond  of  good-will  and  praise. 
It  must  have  been  a  trial  to  him  to  incur  anything  else ; 
but  his  moral  sense  was  so  high  and  strong,  that  he  could 
not  smile  at  evil  nor  wink  at  sin  ;  he  could  not  but  stand 
up  for  the  truth,  like  his  Master,  even  though  the  whole 
world  should  frown  upon  him.  He  could  not  compromise 
with  error  even  by  silence. 

"  But  his  large,  warm  heart  shone  from  his  eyes,  and 
beamed  from  a  countenance  peculiarly  sweet  and  win- 
ning. The  smile  with  which  he  would  greet  a  guest, 
whoever  he  might  be,  and  the  style  he  had  acquired,  per- 
haps by  living  so  long  among  Orientals,  of  placing  his 
right  hand  over  his  heart,  as  he  bowed  low,  was  a  true 
index  of  his  Christian  love  and  humility. 

30* 


354  yONAS  KING. 

"  With  such  a  nature,  the  cross  which  he  had  contin- 
ually to  bear  in  his  forty  years  of  missionary  labor,  of 
being  misunderstood,  abused,  and  reviled,  must  have 
been  the  very  hardest  that  could  have  been  laid  upon 
him.  How  keenly  he  felt  any  word  of  sympathy  or 
praise,  was  shown  by  the  way  in  which  he  would  repeat 
it  to  his  friends,  and  so  often,  that  it  was  by  some  ascribed 
to  a  foolish  boasting.  I  always  felt  that  it  was  because 
his  nature  craved  that  appreciation,  which  had  been  so 
long  withheld,  that  when  it  came  it  was  like  water  to  a 
thirsty  traveller. 

*'  Dear,  holy  man  of  God  !  His  life  was  a  perpetual 
crucifixion ;  few  sympathies  or  joys  were  allowed  him, 
his  children  being  nearly  all  sent  away  at  an  early  age  to 
be  educated  ;  and  his  cultivated  mind,  that  could  have 
found  such  congeniality  among  friends  and  pursuits  open- 
ed to  him  in  his  native  land,  was  confined  to  presenting 
the  truths  of  the  gospel  in  the  plainest  manner  to  men 
who  came  to  mock  and  to  turn  them  into  shafts  against 
him.  Yet  he  was  very  patient ;  he  made  me  think  of 
of  '  the  man  Moses  who  was  so  meek,'  and  of  '  the  meek- 
ness and  gentleness  of  Christ'  that  Paul  inculcates. 

"  But  he  labored  faithfully  ;  he  bore  the  heat  and  bur- 
den of  the  day,  he  toiled  on  when  others  would  have 
fainted,  and  he  took  possession  of  the  soil  for  Jesus.  We 
to  whom,  when  the  Master  called,  he  relinquished  his 
labors,  see  what  he  accomplished,  and  rejoice  in  the 
springing  seed. 

"  Oh,  how  we  mourned  when  he  died  !  We  felt  as  if 
we  could  not  give   up  that  warm  sympathy,  that  ready 


DEATH  OF  DR.  KING.  355 

and  sound  counsel,  that  interest  ever  planning  and  pray- 
ing for  the  good  of  Greece  and  the  extension  of  Christ's 
kingdom  there.  We  felt  that  both  we  and  the  work 
needed  him  still.  Yet  God  knew  best.  His  dust  is 
there  as  an  incitement  to  labor  on,  and  the  day  will  come 
when  Greece  will  honor  it  as  that  of  the  greatest  of  her 
benefactors." 

A  few  lines  from  his  own  pen  give  a  little  idea  of 
Dr.  King's  own  feelings  as  to  his  life's  work :  "  In  all  my 
missionary  labors  I  have  ever  sought  wisdom  and  direc- 
tion from  on  high,  feeling  that  I  could  not  trust  to  my 
own  wisdom  and  understanding.  In  many  trying  scenes 
and  difficult  circumstances  the  hand  of  God  has  been 
most  manifest  in  my  deliverance.  The  wrath  of  man  has 
been  made  to  praise  Him,  and  the  remainder  of  wrath 
has  he  restrained."  "  I  have  been  endeavoring  to  declare 
those  great  truths  contained  in  the  word  of  God  neces- 
sary for  men  to  know  and  believe  in  order  to  be  saved." 
"In  my  missionary  labors  in  my  native  country,  in 
France,  in  Palestine  and  Syria,  and  in  Greece,  my  great 
object  has  been  to  build  up  the  cause  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  To  this  I  have  sacrificed  my  own  private  inter- 
ests and  my  personal  reputation  and  comfort,  and  God 
has  been  faithful  to  his  promise  and  has  provided  for  me. 
'Seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness,' 
he  has  said,  'and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto 
you.'  With  a  constitution  naturally  feeble,  and  with  fre- 
quent bodily  infirmities,  I  have  been  enabled,  by  strict 
temperance  in  eating  and  drinking,  and  in  all  the  enjoy- 
ments of  life,  to  perform  more  labors  than  I  could  at  first 


3s6  JONAS  KING. 

have  thought  possible.  God  strengthened  me,  he  sup- 
ported me,  he  healed  my  diseases,  he  delivered  me  in 
limes  of  danger  ;  he  who  led  Israel  through  the  deep  as 
on  dry  land,  and  fed  them  in  the  wilderness,  and  cast  out 
their  enemies,  and  gave  them  possession  of  the  promised 
land — he  who  sent  his  angel  and  saved  Daniel  from  the 
mouth  of  the  lions,  and  the  three  children  from  the  power 
of  the  heat  in  the  fiery  furnace — has  stood  by  me,  and  in 
him  alone  has  been  my  hope.  If  I  have  done  anything 
in  his  cause,  to  him  I  ascribe  the  glory.  For  my  short- 
comings in  duty,  and  for  any  errors  I  may  have  commit- 
ted while  engaged  in  his  work,  from  him  I  hope  for  par- 
don, through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord." 


CONCLUSION.  357 

CHAPTER   XXIV. 

CONCLUSION. 

I.  List  of  Texts  heading  Volumes  of  Journals. — 2.  List  of  Books 
Written  and  those  Revised. — 3.  Articles  from  Napoli  Newspa- 
pers relative  to  Dr.  King's  Work. — 4.  Letter  regarding  Confes- 
sion of  Faith  for  Greek  Church.— 5.  Letter  to  Professor  Hop- 
kins about  Williams  College  Revival. — 6.  The  Only  Son. 

Bible  texts,  which  in  Greek,  Hebrew.  Arabic,  and 
other  languages,  head  the  volumes  of  memoranda  kept 
by  Dr.  King  for  forty  years,  and  which,  in  fact,  give  a 
synopsis  of  his  history  : 

MOUNT  CALVARY,  February  1,  1824. 

"For  my  brethren  and  companions'  sake,  I  will  now  say, 
Peace  be  within  thee."     Psa.  122  :  8 ;  Isa.  62  :  i  ;  Rev.  22  :  20. 

"  And  he  hath  on  his  vesture  and  on  his  thigh  a  name  written, 
King:  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords."     Rev.  19:16. 

MOUNT  CALVARY,  March  31,   1825. 

"  There  they  crucified  him."  Luke  23  :  33  ;  Isa.  53  :  4 ;  Luke 
22 :  44. 

"All  we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray,  and  the  Lord  hath  laid 
on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all."     Isa.  53  :  6. 

"  For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only-begotten 
Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life."     John  3  :  16. 

"This  is  the  work  of  God,  that  ye  believe  on  him  whom  he 
hath  sent."     John  6:29. 

"  He  that  believeth  in  me,  though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall  he 
live :  and  whosoever  liveth  and  believeth  in  me,  shall  never  die." 
John  II  :25,  26. 

"  Lord,  1  believe;  help  thou  mine  unbelief."     Mark  9:  24. 


358  yONAS  KING. 

TARSUS,  October  23,   1826. 
"  But  Paul  said,  I  am  a  man  which  am  a  Jew  of  Tarsus,  a  city 
in  Cilicia,  a  citizen  of  no  mean  city :  and,  I  beseech  thee,  suffer  me 
to  speak  unto  the  people."     Acts  21  :  39. 

MARSEILLES,  October  SO,   1826. 

"  Of  making  many  books  there  is  no  end ;  and  much  study  is  a 
weariness  of  the  flesh."     Eccles.  12  :  12. 

EGINA,  January  13,   1829. 

"  The  Lord  is  nigh  unto  all  them  that  call  upon  him,  to  all  that 
call  upon  him  in  truth.  He  will  fulfil  the  desire  of  them  that  fear 
him  :  he  also  will  hear  their  cry,  and  will  save  them."  Psalm 
145:18,  19. 

"  Humble  yourselves  therefore  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God, 
that  he  may  exalt  you  in  due  time :  casting  all  your  care  upon  him  ; 
for  he  careth  for  you."     i  Pet.  5  :  7. 

ISLAND  OF  TENOS,  GREECE,  July  S,   1830. 

"  And  the  king  said  unto  Zadok,  Carry  back  the  ark  of  God 
into  the  city :  if  I  shall  find  favor  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,  he  may 
bring  me  again,  and  show  me  both  it  and  his  habitation  :  but  if  he 
thus  say,  I  have  no  delight  in  thee ;  behold,  here  am  I,  let  him  do 
to  me  as  seemeth  good  unto  him."     2  Sam.  15  :  25,  26. 

"...  Let  him  alone,  and  let  him  curse ;  for  the  Lord  hath  bid- 
den him.  It  may  be  that  the  Lord  will  look  on  mine  affliction,  and 
that  the  Lord  will  requite  me  good  for  his  cursing  this  day."  2  Sam. 
16 :  II,  12. 

"  And  when  ye  stand  praying,  forgive,  if  ye  have  aught  against 
any  :  that  your  Father  also  which  is  in  heaven  may  forgive  you 
your  trespasses.  But  if  ye  do  not  forgive,  neither  will  your  Father 
which  is  in  heaven  forgive  your  trespasses."     Mark  11  :  25,  26. 

ATHENS,  January  1,   1837. 

"That  like  as  Christ  was  raised  up  from  the  dead  by  the  glory 
of  the  Father,  even  so  we  also  should  walk  in  newness  of  life." 
Rom.  6:4. 


CONCLUSION.  359 

ATHENS,  May  20,   1840. 

"  Not  rendering  evil  for  evil,  or  railing  for  railing :  but  contra- 
riwise blessing ;  knowing  that  ye  are  thereunto  called,  that  ye 
should  inherit  a  blessing.  For  he  that  will  love  life,  and  see  good 
days,  let  him  refrain  his  tongue  from  evil,  and  his  lips  that  they 
speak  no  guile ;  let  him  eschew  evil,  and  do  good ;  let  him  seek 
peace,  and  ensue  it.  For  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  over  the  right- 
eous, and  his  ears  are  open  unto  their  prayers :  but  the  face  of  the 
Lord  is  against  them  that  do  evil."     i  Pet.  3  :  9-12. 

"  Peace  I  leave  with  you,  my  peace  I  give  unto  you  :  not  as  the 
world  giveth,  give  I  unto  you.  Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled,  nei- 
ther let  it  be  afraid."     John  14 :  27. 

ATHENS,  September  1,   1842. 

"  Which  were  born,  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh, 
nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God."     John  i :  13. 

"  But  as  he  which  hath  called  you  is  holy,  so  be  ye  holy  in  all 
manner  of  conversation."     i  Pet.  1:15. 

"  Be  ye  therefore  followers  of  God  as  dear  children."  Ephes. 
5:1. 

ATHENS,  October  5,   1843. 

"  Then  Samuel  took  a  stone,  and  set  it  between  Mizpeh  and 
Shen,  and  called  the  name  of  it  Eben-ezer,  saying,  Hitherto  hath 
the  Lord  helped  us."     i  Sam.  7: 12. 

"  My  help  conieth  from  the  Lord,  which  made  heaven  and 
earth."     Psa.  121  :  2. 

"  He  giveth  power  to  the  faint;  and  to  them  that  have  no  might 
he  increaseth  strength.  Even  the  youth  shall  faint  and  be  weary, 
and  the  young  men  shall  utterly  fall  :  but  they  tliat  wait  upon  the 
Lord  shall  renew  their  strength  ;  they  shall  mount  up  with  wings  as 
eagles ;  they  shall  run,  and  not  be  weary ;  and  they  shall  walk,  and 
not  faint."     Isa.  40  :  29-31. 

"He  doeth  according  to  his  will  in  the  army  of  heaven,  and 
among  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  :  and  none  can  stay  his  hand,  or 
say  unto  him.  What  doest  thou?"     Dan.  4:  35. 

"  And  those  that  walk  in  pride  he  is  able  to  abate."    Dan.  4 :  37. 


36o  JONAS  KING. 

ATHENS,  September  20,   1848. 

"  Blessed  are  ye,  when  men  shall  hate  you,  and  when  they 
shall  separate  you  irom  their  company,  and  shall  reproach  you,  and 
cast  out  your  name  as  evil,  for  the  Son  of  man's  sake.  Rejoice  ye 
in  that  day,  and  leap  for  joy:  for,  behold,  your  reward  is  great  in 
heaven  :  for  in  the  like  manner  did  their  fathers  unto  the  prophets." 
Luke  6  :  22,  23. 

"  And  ye  shall  be  brought  before  governors  and  kings  for  my 
sake,  for  a  testimony  against  them  and  the  Gentiles."  Matt, 
10:18. 

"  The  disciple  is  not  above  his  master,  nor  the  servant  above 
his  lord.  It  is  enough  for  the  disciple  that  he  be  as  his  master,  and 
the  servant  as  his  lord.  If  they  have  called  the  master  of  the  house 
Beelzebub,  how  much  more  shall  they  call  them  of  his  household  !" 
Matt.  10:  24,  25. 

"And  fear  not  them  which  kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to 
kill  the  soul :  but  rather  fear  him  which  is  able  to  destroy  both  soul 
and  body  in  hell."     Matt.  10:  28. 

"  But  if  ye  suffer  for  righteousness'  sake,  happy  are  ye :  and  be 
not  afraid  of  their  terror,  neither  be  troubled."     i  Pet.  3  :  14. 

ATHENS,  May  1,   1847. 

*'  He  sent  from  above,  he  took  me,  he  drew  me  out  of  many 
waters.  He  delivered  me  from  my  strong  enemy,  and  from  them 
which  hated  me.  He  brought  me  forth  also  into  a  large  place.  As 
for  God,  his  way  is  perfect :  the  word  of  the  Lord  is  tried :  he  is  a 
buckler  to  all  those  that  trust  in  him."     Psa.  18  :  16-30. 

"  Trust  ye  in  the  Lord  for  ever :  for  in  the  Lord  Jehovah  is 
everlasting  strength."     Isa.  26 :  4. 

"  It  is  better  to  trust  in  the  Lord  than  to  put  confidence  in 
princes."     Psa.  118:9. 

"And  he  answered,  Fear  not:  for  they  that  be  with  us  are 
more  than  they  that  be  with  them."     2  Kings  6:  16. 

GENEVA,  September  6,   1847. 

"  The  Lord  thy  keeper."     Psa.  121  :  5. 

"  Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  perfect  peace  whose  mind  is  stayed 
on  thee."     Isa.  26:  3. 


CONCLUSION.  361 

ATHENS,  October  2,  1848. 
"  When  the  Lord  turned  again  the  captivity  of  Zion,  we  were 
like  them  that  dream.  Then  was  our  mouth  filled  with  laughter, 
and  our  tongue  with  singing :  then  said  they  among  the  heathen, 
The  Lord  hath  done  great  things  for  them.  The  Lord  hath  done 
great  things  for  us ;  whereof  we  are  glad.  Turn  again  our  captiv 
ity,  O  Lord,  as  the  streams  in  the  south.  They  that  sow  in  tears 
shall  reap  in  joy.  He  that  goeth  forth  and  weepeth,  bearing  pre- 
cious seed,  shall  doubtless  come  again  with  rejoicing,  bringing  his 
sheaves  with  him."     Psa.  126. 

ATHENS,  November  12,  1850. 

"And  all  thy  children  shall  be  taught  of  the  Lord:  and  great 
shall  be  the  peace  of  thy  children."     Isa.  54  :  13. 

"  Mary  hath  chosen  that  good  part,  which  shall  not  be  taken 
away  from  her."     Luke  10  :  42. 

"  He  giveth  power  to  the  faint ;  and  to  them  that  have  no 
might  he  increaseth  strength.  Even  the  youths  shall  faint  and  be 
weary,  and  the  young  men  shall  utterly  fall :  but  they  that  wait 
upon  the  Lord  shall  renew  their  strength  ;  they  shall  mount  up  on 
wings  as  eagles ;  they  shall  run,  and  not  be  weary ;  and  they  shall 
walk,  and  not  faint."     Isa.  40 :  29-31. 

ATHENS,  August   1,    18S1. 

"Weeping  may  endure  for  a  night,  but  joy  cometh  in  the 
morning."     Psa.  30  :  5. 

"  Fear  not :  for  I  am  with  thee  :  I  will  bring  thy  seed  from  the 
east,  and  gather  thee  from  the  west."     Isa.  43  :  5. 

ATHENS,  November  1,   1852. 

"  But  David  encouraged  himself  in  the  Lord  his  God."  i  Sam. 
30:6. 

"  In  God  is  my  salvation  and  my  glory :  the  rock  of  my  strength, 
and  my  refuge,  is  in  God.  Trust  in  him  at  all  times ;  ye  people, 
pour  out  your  heart  before  him :  God  is  a  refuge  for  us."  Psalm 
62  :  7,  8. 

"  Notwithstanding  the  Lord  stood  with  me,  and  strengthened 
me ;  .  .  .  and  I  was  delivered  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  lion.     And 


362  yONAS  KING. 

the  Lord  shall  deliver  me  from  every  evil  work,  and  will  preserve 
me  unto  his  heavenly  kingdom  :  to  whom  be  glory  for  ever  and 
ever.     Amen."     2  Tim.  4:17,  18. 

ATHENS,  July  12,   18SB. 

"  Why  art  thou  cast  down,  O  my  soul  ?  and  why  art  thou  disqui- 
eted within  me  ?  hope  thou  in  God :  for  I  shall  yet  praise  him,  who 
is  the  health  of  my  countenance,  and  my  God,"     Psa.  42  :  11. 

List  of  Books  published  by  Dr.  King : 

1.  His  "  Farewell  Letter"  to  his  friends  in  Palestine  and  Syria, 
in  1825,  written  in  Arabic,  and  published  in  that  language  after- 
wards by  the  Church  Missionary  Society  of  England,  and  which  has 
been  translated  into  various  other  languages,  and  printed  in  Mod- 
ern Greek,  in  French,  in  Italian,  etc.  It  was  put  in  the  Index  at 
Rome,  and  prohibited  by  Pope  Gregory  XVI.  and  by  Pope  Pius 
IX.,  and  a  volume  in  answer  to  it  was  printed  in  Arabic  by  the  De 
Propaganda  Fide.  Of  the  effect  produced  on  the  Armenians  at 
Constantinople  by  a  copy  of  it  in  manuscript,  sent  by  an  Armenian 
bishop  from  Beyroot,  Rev.  H.  G.  O.  Dwight,  D.  D.,  writes  in  his 
book,  "  Christianity  Revived  in  the  East."  He  says  that  the  letter 
was  translated  by  Bishop  Dionysius.  "  And  soon  a  meeting  was 
called  in  the  Armenian  Patriarchal  church,  at  which,  it  is  said,  the 
letter  was  read,  and  the  references  to  Scripture  examined  ;  and,  as 
if  by  common  consent,  it  was  agreed  that  the  church  needs  reform. 
Out  of  this  grew  immediately  the  famous  school  of  Peshtima  Gian. 
It  was  established  within  the  precincts  of  the  Patriarchate  at  Con- 
stantinople, and  one  particular  object  was  the  education  of  the 
clergy ;  the  rule  being  adopted  that  no  individual  should  thereafter 
be  ordained  to  the  priest's  office  in  the  capital  who  had  not  comple- 
ted a  regular  course  of  study  at  this  school."  This  "  Farewell  Let- 
ter" was  distributed  extensively  among  the  Greeks  and  Italians  in 
Sardinia  and  Egypt,  and  is  still  used  by  our  missionaries  in  the 
East.  An  English  officer  printed  at  his  own  expense  about  three 
thousand  copies,  and  in  two  nights  distributed  sixteen  hundred  of 
them  in  Sicily. 

2.  His  "  Defence,"  written  in  Greek,  and  published  in  that 
language  at  Athens  in  1S45.  produced  uncommon  excitement  in  the 


CONCLUSION.  363 

whole  Oriental  church,  not  only  in  free  Greece,  but  throughout 
Turkey. 

3.  "  Exposition  of  an  Apostolical  Church,"  written  in  Greek, 
and  printed  in  Cambridge,  Mass.,  U.  S.  A.,  in  1851  and  1857. 
This  has  been  translated  into  French  and  Italian,  and  printed  in 
those  languages  at  Malta. 

4.  "  Religious  Rites  of  an  Apostolical  Church,"  written  in 
Greek,  and  printed  at  Athens  in  1851. 

5.  His  "  Speech  before  the  Areopagus  "  at  Athens,  written  in 
Greek,  and  partly  delivered  April  23,  1846  (the  President  of  the 
Court  did  not  permit  him  to  finish  it),  and  printed  in  New  York  in 
1847,  and  at  Cambridge,  Mass.,  in  1857. 

6.  "  Hermeneutics  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures,"  written  in  Greek, 
and  printed  at  Athens  in  1857. 

7.  Two  volumes  of  "  Sermons  "  in  Greek,  printed  at  Athens  in 

1859. 

8.  "  Synoptical  View  of  Palestine  and  Syria,  with  Additions," 
etc.,  written  and  printed  in  French,  and  translated  into  Modern 
Greek,  and  published  at  Athens  ia  1859. 

9.  His  "  Miscellaneous  Works  "  in  Modern  Greek,  one  volume 
octavo,  pages  840,  and  containing  all  the  above-mentioned  except 
the  "Sermons,"  and  in  addition  a  "Letter  to  a  Unitarian  Minis- 
ter," and  all  the  Documents  with  regard  to  his  various  Trials  before 
the  Courts  in  Athens,  the  Examination  of  the  Witnesses,  all  the 
Accusations  brought  against  him  and  the  Decisions  of  the  Courts ; 
the  Communication  of  the  Hon.  George  P.  Marsh,  United  States 
Minister  to  the  Greek  Government,  relative  to  the  same ;  and  the 
King's  Order  revoking  the  Sentence  of  Exile.  Printed  at  Athens 
in  1859  and  i860. 

10.  His  Answer  to  a  Pamphlet  entitled  "  The  Two  Clergymen," 
by  the  Bishop  of  Karystia,  Macarius,  Kaliarchus,  1863. 

The  books  printed  under  his  direction  and  revised  by 
him  in  Modern  Greek  at  Athens  are  : 

1.  "  Mother  at  Home." 

2.  "  Baxter's  Saints'  Rest." 

3.  "Dr.  Lyman  Beecher's  Sermons  on  Intemperance." 

4.  "  Alleine's  Alarm  to  the  Unconverted." 


364  yONAS  KING. 

5.  "  Extracts  from  Chrysostom." 

6.  "  History  of  the  Church  of  Christ  by  Dr.  Barth,"  printed  at 
Smyrna. 

7.  Four  Tracts,  written  by  the  Countess  Agenor  de  Gasparin. 

8.  "  The  Sisters." 

9.  Lessons  taken  from  the  Sacred  Scriptures  on  various  subjects. 

10.  "The  Prayers  of  the  Saints."  (Prayers  found  in  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments.)  This  book  is  published  in  English  by  the 
American  Tract  Society. 

11.  Five  volumes,  entitled,  "A  Collection  of  Various  Works 
and  Religious  Tracts,"  and  published  from  1853  to  1856.  These 
had  already  been  printed  in  Modern  Greek,  but  in  a  style  quite  un- 
suitable for  the  present  time.  The  above  works  in  all  are  fifteen 
volumes. 

The  number  of  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New- 
Testaments,  or  parts  of  them,  of  school  books  and  reli- 
gious tracts,  which  he  has  distributed  among  the  Greeks 
in  free  Greece  and  in  Turkey  (not  including  those  circu- 
lated in  Egypt,  Palestine,  and  Syria),  will  probably 
amount  to  not  less  than  four  hundred  thousand  copies. 

Eighty  schools  received  books  from  him  in  one  year. 
From  the  ist  of  January,  1842,  to  the  30th  of  November, 
1843,  one  hundred  and  eight  schools  were  furnished  with 
books  from  his  shop  at  Athens.  Of  these  schools,  20 
were  in  the  Peloponnesus,  60  in  Continental  Greece,  7  in 
the  Cyclades,  and  21  in  Turkey. 

Translation  of  an  article  from  the  national  newspaper 
printed  at  Napoli,  July  23,  1832,  concerning  the  literary 
institutions  in  Athens  under  the  superintendence  of  ]\Ir. 
Jonas  King,  American : 

I.  One  school  of  mutual  instruction,  under  the  direction  of  Mr. 
N.  Niketoplos,  containing  ninety-four  scholars. 


CONCL  US  J  ON.  365 

2.  Another  school  of  mutual  instruction,  under  the  direction  of 
Mr.  P.  Skepesos,  containing  sixty-eight  scholars. 

3.  A  school  for  girls,  under  the  direction  of  Miss  Anastasia 
Kapenaki,  containing  sixty-three  scholars. 

4.  A  school  for  the  study  of  the  ancient  Greek  writers,  under 
the  direction  of  Mr.  D.  Sonomales,  containing  thirty-seven  schol- 
ars. It  is  expected  also  that  higher  branches  will  be  afterwards 
taught.  This  Philhellen,  Mr.  J.  King,  is  one  of  the  apostles  of  one 
of  the  apostolic  churches  of  the  Presbyterians  (meaning  those  who 
have  not  bishops  in  the  present  sense  of  the  word),  sent  by  it  with 
large  expenses  and  every  kind  of  means  for  establishing  such  schools 
for  the  instruction  of  youth  in  the  renowned  Athens. 

He  has  also  bought  a  place,  where  he  is  building  an  institution 
simply  for  females,  in  which  shall  be  taught  such  branches  neces- 
sary for  the  instruction  of  females  as  are  taught  in  similar  institu- 
tions in  Europe.  We  learn  also  that  the  female  friends  of  Greece 
in  Philadelphia,  America,  contribute  in  a  particular  manner  to  this 
institution,  and  for  this  reason  there  has  been  inscribed  over  the 
gate,  "  Philadelphia." 

Mr.  J.  King,  in  1828,  established  at  Tenos  a  school  for  girls, 
containing  about  eighty  girls.  It  continued  till  1831,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Athens. 

This  American  Society  contributed  to  the  school  for  girls  in 
Syra  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Korck.  It  made  a  present  also  to 
the  government,  in  1S30,  of  about  thirty-five  hundred  slates  and 
seventy-five  thousand  pencils,  for  the  use  of  schools  of  mutual  in- 
struction in  Greece. 

It  established  also,  in  1822,  a  printing-press  in  Malta,  at  which 
are  printed  elementary  books  in  different  languages,  for  the  most 
part  Eastern.  Thousands  of  such  little  books  have  been  given 
gratis  to  the  schools  in  Greece. 

The  Philhellen  Americans  have  ever  shown  kindness  to  our 
nation,  giving,  in  1826,  much  food  and  clothing,  but  now  they  con- 
tribute for  the  education  of  our  youth. 

The  Athenians,  seeing  the  progress  of  their  children  in  learn- 
ing, tender,  together  with  the  other  Greeks,  their  gratitude  to  the 
Philhellen  Americans. 

In  1824  the  Philo-muse  (literary)  Society  first  established  in 
Athens  a  school  for  girls,  having  for  teacher  Mr.  N.  Niketoplos  ; 


366  JOMIS  AVJVG. 

but  in  1831,  the  loth  of  April  (old  style),  Mr.  J.  King,  having  the 
same  N.  Niketoplos  as  teacher,  established  a  school  of  mutual  in- 
struction, containing  a  sufificient  number  of  pupils,  both  males  and 
females,  which  last,  the  3d  of  June  (old  style),  he  ordered  to  be  in  a 
separate  school  for  girls. 

Afterwards,  the  6th  of  July  (old  style),  the  wife  of  Mr.  Hill, 
American,  established  a  school  for  girls. 

The  reverend  priest,  Mr.  Jonas  King,  full  of  zeal,  and  a  preach- 
er of  the  gospel,  sent  by  the  same  Society,  for  nearly  two  years 
preached  the  gospel  in  France  and  in  other  parts  of  Europe,  and 
four  years  in  Egypt,  Syria,  and  Palestine,  and  other  parts  of  Asia, 
and  in  Constantinople. 

A  plan  of  the  gymnasium  sent  to  be  published  in  the 
"Minerva,"  September  9,  183 1,  was  prefaced  by  the  edi- 
tor with  these  remarks  : 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Jonas  King,  known  for  his  charities  and  benefi- 
cence to  almost  all  the  wretched  in  the  time  of  our  struggle,  and 
since  the  settlement  of  the  affairs  of  our  nation,  devoted  to  the 
work  of  enlightening  it,  has  sent  us  the  new  organization  of  his 
gymnasium  at  Athens,  which  we  hasten  to  publish  in  our  paper, 
that  the  public  may  see  how  well  the  sincere  friends  of  humanity 
know  what  are  1 
true  happiness. 

Far  from  attributing  to  the  venerable  King  or  others  any  de- 
signs of  proselytism,  which  designs,  did  they  exist,  would  in  the 
nineteenth  century  be  rather  ridiculous  than  worthy  of  regard,  we 
cannot  but  express  the  gratitude  of  our  nation  to  the  Americans 
who  have  set  such  a  worthy  example,  while  we  would  also  proclaim 
the  virtues  of  the  venerable  King,  especially  the  diligence  and  assi- 
duity which  he  as  well  as  his  colleagues  exhibit  for  our  illumination. 

Copy  of  a  letter  to  the  Rev.  Rufus  Anderson  with 
regard  to  a  confession  of  faith  for  the  Greek  church  : 

Athens,  February  7,  1S50. 
Rev.  Rufus  Anderson,  D.  D. — My  Dear  Brother  :  I  am  not 
certain  whether  I  mentioned  to  you  or  not,  some  months  since,  that 
I  had  been  occupied  for  a  while  in  writing  a  small  work  in  Greek, 


COXCL  USION.  367 

entitled  "  Exposition  of  an  Apostolic  Church,"  with  a  "  Confession 
of  Faith  "  and  a  "  Covenant,"  all  founded  entirely  on  the  Word  of 
God,  from  which,  in  proof  of  what  I  have  said,  passages  are  quoted 
in  full.  The  "  Exposition  "  consists  of  thirty-one  articles  and  the 
"  Confession  of  Faith  "  of  twelve. 

The  object  of  the  whole  is  to  show  in  what  a  truly  apostolical 
church  consists,  on  what  foundation  it  is  built,  by  what  rule  it  is 
guided,  what  doctrines  it  believes,  what  powers  it  possesses,  in  what 
manner  its  officers  are  to  be  chosen,  what  their  character  ought  to 
be,  what  are  their  peculiar  duties,  and  how  they  are  to  be  support- 
ed ;  its  relation  to  other  churches,  as  also  the  relation  of  its  officers 
to  those  of  other  churches  ;  to  whom  baptism  is  to  be  administered, 
in  what  manner,  and  for  what  object ;  who  are  to  partake  of  the 
Lord's  Supper,  in  what  manner,  and  how  often,  the  nature  and  ob- 
ject of  the  elements  used  in  that  supper ;  how  the  discipline  of  the 
church  is  to  be  administered,  and  with  what  spirit,  and  what  punish- 
ment it  may  inflict  on  disorderly  members ;  in  what  manner  prayers 
are  to  be  offered,  and  to  whom  and  through  what  mediation ;  what 
kind  of  fasting  is  permitted,  and  when ;  under  what  circumstances 
divorce  is  permitted ;  what  kind  of  worldly  diversions  are  condemn- 
ed; in  what  manner  the  Lord's  day  is  to  be  consecrated;  that  feasts 
are  not  to  be  kept  in  honor  of  saints  and  angels  ;  that  certain  Jew- 
ish and  heathen  customs  are  not  to  be  permitted  in  religious  rites, 
such  as  the  use  of  lighted  lamps  and  candles  during  the  day,  in- 
cense, offerings  for  the  dead,  the  worship  of  images  of  whatever 
kind,  servile  reverence  of  religious  teachers,  theatrical  representa- 
tions of  the  sufferings  and  death  of  Christ  at  Easter,  the  worship  of 
dead  men's  bones,  the  kissing  of  crosses,  the  making  the  sign  of 
the  cross  as  a  preservative  against  evil  or  the  evil  influences  of  the 
devil,  or  in  the  room  of  prayer,  the  use  of  amulets,  prayers,  and 
ceremonies  for  the  souls  of  the  dead ;  that  the  so-called  mysteries 
are  to  be  rejected ;  that  the  object  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per is  manifest,  and  not  to  be  called  mysteries ;  that  the  ceremony 
of  marriage  and  of  inducting  a  pastor  into  office  contain  no  mystery 
whatever;  that  no  miracles  are  now  wrought  by  anointing  with  oil; 
that  secret  confession  is  not  enjoined,  but  that  confession,  in  case 
of  public  scandal,  should  be  public  and  in  presence  of  the  whole 
church  ;  and  in  case  of  sin,  to  whom  we  are  ever  to  apply  for  par- 
don, and  in  what  w^aj  it  can  be  obtained. 


368  JONAS  KING. 

To  the  whole  I  have  written  a  short  preface,  bringing  into  view 
certain  principles  and  traits  of  the  human  mind  which  lead  men  to 
err  on  the  subject  of  religion,  and  showing  why  I  reject  all  traditions 
and  commandments  of  men,  and  take  for  my  guide  the  Word  of  God 
alone. 

The  work  is  intended  principally  for  the  Eastern  and  Western 
churches,  but  also  for  all  others  which,  have  in  any  degree  wandered 
from  the  purity  and  simplicity  of  the  gospel  either  in  faith  or  prac- 
tice, either  in  internal  organization  or  in  outward  ceremonies. 

And  as  the  people  in  the  East  are  lamentably  ignorant  of  the 
Sacred  Scriptures,  and  as  multitudes  do  not  possess  them,  I  have 
thought  it  important  to  quote  in  full  the  passages  of  Scripture  to 
which,  in  other  circumstances,  I  should  need  perhaps  only  to  refer. 
But  even  where  the  Sacred  Scriptures  are  in  the  hands  of  all,  many 
probably  prefer  to  see  a  text  quoted  rather  than  to  be  sent  to  anoth- 
er book  in  search  of  it. 

The  whole  will  not  make,  I  think,  more  than  eighty  or  a  hun- 
dred pages  i2mo,  and  of  course  can  be  read  by  almost  any  one  with- 
out much  fatigue.  Large  books  on  religious  subjects  most  men  are 
not  fond  of,  and  only  a  few  will  read. 

I  was  moved  to  write  this  in  part  by  the  impression  on  my  mind 
that  such  a  kind  of  guide  is  necessary  for  those  who  perhaps  begin 
to  see  the  light,  but  from  never  having  been  taught  the  way  in  which 
they  should  go,  are  in  danger  of  wandering  every  time  they  see  a 
path  that  turns  to  the  right  or  to  the  left,  and  that  it  would  be  espe- 
cially necessary  should  there  ever  be  in  these  regions,  as  I  doubt 
not  there  will  be,  any  considerable  excitement  on  the  subject  of 
religion,  or  any  great  movement  towards  a  change. 

I  have  not  only  prepared  it  in  Greek,  but  have  also  had  it  trans- 
lated into  French  and  Italian,  in  each  of  which  languages  I  wish  to 
print,  if  possible,  a  thousand  copies. 

Will  you  allow  me  to  do  this  at  the  expense  of  the  Board?  It 
must,  of  course,  be  printed  ojit  of  Greece,  for  if  printed  here  I  should 
be  subject  to  prosecution,  imprisonment,  and  perhaps  exile. 

The  expense  of  printing  a  thousand  copies  in  the  three  above- 
mentioned  languages  would  not  exceed,  I  think,  two  Jmndred  dol- 
lars. Yours,  truly, 

JONAS  KING. 


CONCLUSION.  369 

THE   ONLY   SON. 

TRACT  NO.  530,  A.  T.  S. 

Soon  after  the  Rev.  Pliny  Fisk  and  Rev.  Levi  Parsons  left 
their  mountain  homes  in  Western  Massachusetts,  near  the  close  of 
1819,  as  the  first  American  missionaries  to  Palestine,  their  young 
friend  JONAS  King,  from  the  same  neighborhood,  was  elected  pro- 
fessor in  Amherst  college,  and  proceeded  to  Paris  to  pursue  the 
study  of  Arabic  with  the  celebrated  De  Sacy.  He  there  became 
familiar  with  an  American  gentleman,  then  at  the  head  of  one  of 
the  first  commercial  houses  in  Paris,  to  whose  care  his  correspon- 
dence was  addressed. 

In  February,  1822,  the  lamented  Parsons  died,  and  Rev.  Mr. 
Fisk  without  delay  addressed  a  letter  to  Mr.  King,  requesting  that 
he  would  meet  him  at  Malta,  and,  in  place  of  Rev.  Mr.  Parsons, 
accompany  him  as  a  missionary  to  Palestine  ;  and  fearing  delay  by 
waiting  the  action  of  the  American  Board  of  Missions,  he  in  the 
same  enclosure  requested  Mr.  King's  mercantile  friend  not  only  to 
second  his  invitation,  but,  if  possible,  to  raise  the  sum  of  $1,500, 
requisite  for  his  support  for  three  years. 

Mr.  King,  receiving  the  letter  in  the  merchant's  counting- 
room,  retired  to  his  private  office  to  read  it.  Oppressed  with  the 
weight  of  the  proposition  it  contained,  he  spent  an  hour  in  prayer 
for  divine  direction;  and  hoping  to  gain  further  light  as  to  the  path 
of  duty,  sought  the  merchant's  advice.  He  returned  to  the  count- 
ingroom,  and  asked  with  deep  solicitude,  "Wliat  shall  I  do?"  Said 
his  friend,  "  Go."  "  But,"  said  he,  "  what  will  become  of  my  aged 
and  infirm  parents  in  America?"  "  I  will  be  a  son  to  them  in  your 
stead,"  replied  his  friend.  "  Then,"  said  Mr.  King,  "  I  go  up  to 
Jerusalem,  'not  knowing  the  things  that  shall  befall  me  there.' " 

"Now,"  said  the  merchant,  "sit  down  at  this  desk  and  write 
to  my  friends  Thomas  Waddington  of  St.  Remy,  France,  Louis 
Mertens  of  Brussels,  Claude  Cromlin  of  Amsterdam,  and  John  Ven- 
ning of  St.  Petersburg:  state  to  them  the  circumstances,  and  that 
you  are  willing  to  go;  tell  them  I  will  give  ong-fifth  of  the  $1,500, 
and  leave  it  to  their  decision  whether  they  will  join  me  in  filling  up 
the  amount."     By  the  return  of  the  mails  it  appeared  that  God  had 


37°  JONAS  KING. 

put  it  into  the  hearts  of  these  gentlemen  cheerfully  to  respond  to 
the  appeal  by  enclosing  each  $300,  making  the  sum  required ;  and 
Mr.  King  lost  no  time  in  preparing  for  his  departure. 

A  few  months  previous  to  this,  Mr.  King  had  established  the 
monthly  concert  of  prayer  in  his  own  hired  upper  chamber  in  Paris 
which  had  been  attended  with  increasing  interest;  a  laro-e  con- 
course assembled  in  the  church  of  the  Oratoire  to  listen  to  his 
farewell  address  and  join  in  commending  him  to  the  God  of  all 
grace  ;  he  was  cheered  in  a  similar  manner  on  his  way  by  Christian 
assembhes  at  Lyons,  Nismes,  Montpelier,  and  Marseilles,  where  he 
embarked  for  Malta  and  Jerusalem,  He  is  now  the  well-known, 
persecuted,  but  laborious  and  successful  missionary  at  Athens. 

His  friend  the  merchant,  from  time  to  time,  wrote  to  the  soli- 
tary parents,  enclosing  some  tokens  of  regard  "from  their  affec- 
tionate son ;"  the  next  year  he  returned  to  America,  and  early  in 
the  spring  of  1824  he  was  at  Northampton,  about  twenty-five  miles 
from  the  parents,  meditating  a  visit  to  their  humble  abode.  He 
applied  to  the  landlord,  who  furnished  him  a  wagon  with  his  little 
son  for  a  driver;  and  freighted  with  a  bag  of  groceries  which  ex- 
tended the  whole  length  of  the  wagon,  they  set  off  early  in  the 
morning,  and  after  encountering  snowdrifts  and  other  obstacles  by 
the  way,  arrived  at  the  cottage  about  two  in  the  afternoon. 

Leaving  the  lad  with  the  wagon  in  the  street,  the  gentleman 
knocked,  saying  as  he  entered,  "  It  is  a  chill,  uncomfortable  day, 
friends;  would  you  be  so  kind  as  to  allow  a  stranger  to  warm  him- 
self a  little  by  your  fire  ?"  He  was  welcomed  and  seated  between 
the  aged  couple,  in  who.m  he  distinctly  recognized  the  features  of 
their  son  Jonas,  and  they  in  turn  fixed  on  him  a  scrutinizing  eye. 
After  a  short  pause  he  said  deliberately, 

"  I  once  had  a  friend  who  said  to  me,  <  What  shall  I  do?'  Said 
I,  'Go.'  'But  what,'  said  he,  '  will  become  of  my  aged  and  infirm 
parents  in  America  ?'  I  replied,  '  I  will  be  a  son  to  them  in  your 
stead.'  'Then,'  said  he,  '  I  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  "not  knowing  the 
things  that  shall  befall  me  there."  '  " 

Instantly  the  aged  couple  sprung  to  him,  exclaiming,  "This 
is  Mr.  Wilder !"  and  almost  overwhelmed  him  with  their  tears  and 
caresses.  "  Let  us  pray,"  said  the  father ;  and  they  unburdened 
their  hearts  at  theflirone  of  mercy. 

Scarcely  were  they  again  seated,  when  the  mother  took  from 


CONCLUSION.  371 

the  shelf  a  new  quarto  Bible,  saying  she  hoped  her  friend  would 
not  blame  her  for  paying  ten  dollars  for  it  out  of  the  fifty  he  had 
sent  her  a  few  months  previous.  "  Our  old  eyes,"  she  said,  "could 
not  well  read  the  small  print  of  the  other  Bible.  I  told  Mr.  King 
I  did  not  believe  we  could  make  any  better  use  of  the  money,  or 
should  ever  be  the  poorer  for  buying  a  Bible  that  we  could  read; 
it  is  a  great  comfort  to  us."  Their  friend  expressed  his  approba- 
tion of  the  purchase,  admired  the  Bible,  and  before  he  returned  it 
to  the  shelf  slipped  into  it  unperceived  a  ten-dollar  bill,  which  she 
afterwards  wrote  him  had  been  found  on  the  floor  when  they  were 
rdading  the  Bible,  and  which  she  recognized  as  from  the  hand  of 
God,  having  no  knowledge  by  what  means  the  exact,  amount  ex- 
pended had  thus  come  again  into  their  hands. 

After  a  brief  interchange  of  confidence  and  affection,  she  said 
to  her  esteemed  guest,  "  I  presume,  sir,  you  have  not  dined,  and 
must  be  in  need  of  refreshment.  I  am  very  sorry  we  have  not  a 
cup  of  tea  to  offer  you,  but  we  have  some  nice  ham  and  fresh  eggs, 
which  I  will  immediately  prepare."  Her  friend  remarked,  "There 
is  a  bag  in  the  wagon  containing  several  articles  from  'your  son;' 
perhaps  there  may  be  tea  among  them." 

The  bag,  with  no  little  effort,  was  transferred  from  the  wagon 
to  the  cottage-floor,  and  the  mother  addressed  herself  to  the  task 
of  taking  out  its  contents.  Among  packages  of  flour,  rice,  loaf- 
sugar,  coffee,  chocolate,  raisins,  and  other  articles,  each  of  which 
she  held  up  with  new  expressions  of  delight,  as  received  from  one 
she  so  much  loved,  she  at  length  came  to  a  package  of  four  pounds 
of  hyson  tea,  when  she  held  it  out  to  the  father  with  streaming 
eyes,  saying,  "Look  here,  papa;  Jonas  is  the  same  dear  good  boy 
that  he  always  was.  He  knew  we  were  out  of  tea  sometimes ;  he 
do  n't  forget  his  poor  father  and  mother."  Then  opening  a  pack- 
age of  Turkey  figs,  "And  is  this  also,"  said  she,  "from  Jerusalem? 
Papa,  was  there  ever  such  a  son  as  Jonas  ?"  By  this  time  all  hearts  ' 
were  overflowing.  "Let  us  pray,"  said  the  father;  and  the  explo- 
ring of  the  treasures  was  suspended  while  they  again  united  in 
thanksgiving  to  God. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  little  company  were  seated  at  a  well- 
furnished  table,  refreshed  by  the  gifts  of  the  kind  "son,"  mingling 
their  sympathies  and  recounting  all  the  way  in  which  they  had  been 
led.      While  thus  conversing  the  merchant  affectionately  asked, 


372  JONAS  KING. 

"  Do  you  never  regret  the  sacrifice  you  have  made  in  giving  up 
your  only  son  to  be  a  missionary?"     The  aged  father  replied, 

"  '  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son, 
that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  ever- 
lasting life ;'  and  shall  I  withhold  my  only  son  from  obeying  the 
command  of  our  ascended  Saviour,  '  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and 
preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature'  ?" 

All  present  were  deeply  affected,  a  tear  standing  in  the  eye 
even  of  the  young  driver.  They  again  bowed  in  prayer ;  both  the 
father  and  the  merchant  led  in  turn,  commending  the  little  compa- 
ny, the  absent  son,  and  a  sin-ruined  world  to  the  God  of  missions. 

The  interview  was  an  hour  bright  with  the  beams  of  the  Sun 
of  righteousness  amid  the  dark  pilgrimage  of  life,  an  oasis  in  the 
desert,  a  season  never  to  be  forgotten  by  any  one  of  the  four  per- 
sons who  thus  met  for  the  first  and  the  last  time  on  earth. 

That  young  driver,  as  he  afterwards  distinctly  stated,  here  first 
had  his  mind  impressed  with  the  sacredness  of  the  work  of  foreign 
missions.  He  gave  his  heart  to  Christ,  pursued  a  thorough  course 
of  education,  went  forth  to  the  heathen,  and  was  no  other  than 
Henry  Lyman,  the  noble  martyr  who  fell  by  the  side  of  Munson,  in 
1834,  among  the  bloody  Battas  of  Sumatra. 

The  aged  father,  in  his  will,  bequeathed  to  the  merchant,  for 
the  purchase  of  a  book  in  token  of  his  love,  the  sum  of  five  dollars, 
which  at  his  death  was  paid  to  the  widow  for  the  old  small-print 
Bible,  which  is  still  preserved  as  a  precious  memento.  The  widow 
has  entered  into  rest;  and  the  stranger  passing  a  rural  graveyard 
in  South  Hawley,  where  the  scenery  opens  in  magnificence  and 
beauty,  reads  on  the  tombstone  of  the  father  his  reply  just  quoted 
to  the  question  whether  he  ever  regretted  the  gift  to  missions  of 

his  ONLY  SON. 


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